Located in the south of France, Provence is the southernmost wine-producing region in France. This region has a Mediterranean climate with mild wet winters and hot summers. The climate, along with geography and soils, are what set this region apart from the others.
Soils are primarily limestone and clay with some gravel deposits in certain areas. This combination helps to retain heat and allows for drainage while also slowing down evaporation in the summer months. These types of soil can be found throughout Châteauneuf-du-Pape, one of France’s most famous appellations located just north of Avignon on the Rhône River. The wines produced here are some of the country’s best known reds (blends) as well as whites that have an elegance about them due to their minerality and acidity levels. Another important aspect to note about these wines is their alcohol level because they are typically higher than many other wines coming from France.
Mediterranean climate
The Mediterranean climate of Provence is dominated by its proximity to the sea – a normally dry, warm climate with strong Mistral winds that cool the vineyards during ripening. The majority of the wines are blends of different grape varieties such as Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah. There are also some single varietals such as Mourvedre or Pallette Blanc (a white wine). The region can be divided into three main areas:
Var/Les Arcs: includes AOP Cotes De Provence and Plan De Dieu, an area closer to Marseille
La Crau/Fréjus: includes AOP Bandol and Bellet
Haute-Provence: includes AOP Coteaux D’Aix En Provence and Palette
Provence’s appellations
In the world of wine, there are different levels of quality. The top of the pecking order is called an appellation, and Provence is home to a wide variety of them: Saint-Joseph (which produces only reds), Saint-Péray (that produces only rosés), Vaucluse (with its own name for both white and red wines), Bandol, Cornas, Ventoux, and many more. Appellations are important in France because they control the quality of everything that comes from that region.
Of course it’s not just wine regions with names that have appellations; every single French region has its own one because each one has a relatively tiny area with a recognizable flavor profile. That’s why you can get a marked difference between two bottles from the same winery if they’re from different regions but made from the same grapes at roughly the same time—they come from different appellations.
Grapes of Provence
The red grape varieties are mostly from the Rhône Valley and have flavors of blackberry, pepper, lavender and thyme. These wines have high tannins and acidity as well as good structure.
The white grape varieties are mainly from the Burgundy region and tend to be crisp, light-bodied and very dry. They have a high acid content which allows them to age longer than other wines made with different grapes. The most popular white grape used in Provence is Clairette Blanche (also known by its more common name of Ugni Blanc).
The characteristics of these two grapes vary because of where they grow. For example, if you plant your pinot noir vines too close together then they will produce less fruit but if you let them grow freely then they will make more fruit with less quality due to competition among themselves for sunlight and nutrients from the soil. This can cause a reduction in flavor complexity since each vine competes against another one instead of contributing its own unique character which might not necessarily fit well with those around it! So the terroir has an effect on how good or bad these wines taste when grown under certain conditions – this means that knowing what kind of soil type (clay vs limestone) is important too because it impacts flavors such as minerality
Southern wines compared Northern French wines
You might think that the climate of Southern France is no different from Northern France—both are relatively cold in winter, and quite warm in summer. But there are significant differences. The Mediterranean coast of Provence is less than twenty miles north-east of Marseille, and the vineyards start almost as soon as you leave the city limits. In other words, Southern French vineyards sit on land that’s very close to the ocean, whereas Burgundy is just under 200 miles inland. As a result, temperatures are slightly warmer on average in Provence than they are in Burgundy: nighttime lows and daytime highs are both higher in Provence.
In addition to the influence of their geography, French wine regions also differ based on their grape varieties and winemaking style. In general, wines from areas near the south coast—such as Provence—are distinct from those made farther north because they contain a high proportion of white grapes. Though Syrah is an important component of many wines made here (notably Bandol), Grenache Blanc dominates these light whites while Mourvèdre lends body to reds like Bandol Rosé.