PROVENCE AND CORSICA 243 PROVENCE AND CORSICA If any wine does not travel, it has to be Provence rosé. But this probably has more to do with the romance surrounding the wine than with the wine itself. The best Provençal wines are red, and they can be truly splendid. YOU CAN FORGET MOST PROVENCE ROSÉ. It may come in an exotically shaped bottle, but exotic is the last word that could be used to describe its dull, flabby contents. They have been making wine here for more than 2,600 years, and by the time the Romans arrived, in 125BC, it was already so good that they immediately exported it back to Rome. But ask yourself this question: do you think that wine was a rosé? Of course not; Provence rosé is a relatively recent phenomenon and, some would cynically say, one that was deliberately designed to swindle the gold-draped nouveau riche who flock here. Rosé still represents more than half of all Provençal production, although sales have declined in recent years, as the once- FACTORS AFFECTING TASTE AND QUALITY LOCATION VITICULTURE AND CORSICAN VINEYARDS HProvence is situated in the JVINIFICATION These vineyards of Domaine de Valrose at Borgo, near the east coast, southeast of France, between the All the vines used to be planted in are typical of the Corsican landscape. The east-coast plains are Rhône delta and the Italian border. gobelet fashion, but most are now backed by dramatic mountains, and palm trees proliferate. A farther 68 miles (110 kilometers) trained on wires. The recent trend southeast lies Corsica. toward Cabernet Sauvignon has exclusive resorts become more accessible to the sophisticated stopped, although many excellent CLIMATE wines are still made from this middle classes, who recognize how dull these wines are. Quality FWinters are mild, as are grape. The current vogue is to improved in the 1980s, but has reached a plateau and, without springs, which can also be humid. reestablish a true Provençal identity resorting to actually acidifying the wines, modern vinification Summers are hot and stretch into by relying exclusively (where techniques will never be able to rid them of the dusty flabbiness long, sunny falls. A vine requires possible) on local varieties, and the 1,300 hours of sunshine in one laws have been changed to that is their sunny southern heritage. growing season—1,500 hours is encourage this particular evolution. preferable, but in Provence, it Much of the rosé has been THE TRUE CLASSIC WINES OF PROVENCE luxuriates in an average of 3,000 improved by modern cool- For most people, Provence evokes the beaches of St.-Tropez or hours. The close proximity of the vinification techniques, although Mediterranean, however, is also most remains tired and flabby. the rich, bouillabaisse-laden aromas of backstreet Marseille, but capable of inducing sharp there are other experiences to be had in this sun-blessed corner fluctuations in the weather. Rain is GRAPE VARIETIES of southern France. For while the wines of Provence may not spread over a limited number of GAragnan, Aramon, Aramongris, days in fall and winter. Barbarossa, Barbaroux, Barbaroux have the classic status of Burgundy or Bordeaux, the reds, such as Rosé, Bourboulenc, Braquet, Brun- the magnificent Bandol, the darkly promising Bellet, and the aptly ASPECT Fourcat, Cabernet Sauvignon, named Cassis, have an abundance of spice-charged flavors that EThe vineyards run down Calitor (syn. Pecoui-touar), Carignan, hillsides and on to the plains. show more than a touch of class. Silly-shaped bottles are being Castets, Chardonnay, Cinsault (syn. discarded by the more serious winemakers who find the classic, SOIL Plant d’Arles), Clairette, Clairette à DThe geology of Provence is Gros Grains, Clairette à Petits Grains, complex. Many ancient soils have Clairette de Trans, Colombard, Counoise, Doucillon, Durif, Fuella, undergone chemical changes and RECENT PROVENÇAL AND CORSICAN VINTAGES numerous new soils have been Grenache, Grenache Blanc, created. Sand, red sandstone, and Marsanne, Mayorquin, Mourvèdre, 2003 The year of the heatwave meant extremely variable results in granite are, however, the most Muscat d’Aubagne, Muscat Blanc à regular common denominators, Petits Grains, Muscat de Die, Provence, where even the best reds are all too often overalcoholic with limestone outcrops that often Muscat de Frontignan, Muscat de and lacking in elegance. determine the extent of superior Hambourg, Muscat de Marseille, 2002 Wet at best, floods at worst, with few exceptional wines in terroirs: the Var département has Muscat Noir de Provence, Muscat mica-schist, chalky scree, and chalky Rosé à Petits Grains, Nielluccio, Provence (a good rosé year!), but good in Corsica for Vin de Corse tufa as well as granite hillsides; Panse Muscade, Pascal Blanc, Petit- (particularly, though not exclusively, for whites), Patrimonio, and there are excellent flinty-limestone Brun, Picardan, Picpoul, Pignerol, Muscat du Cap Corse. soils at Bandol; and pudding stones Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, (conglomerate pebbles) that are Sciacarello, Syrah, Téoulier (syn. 2001 A dry year produced well-colored Provençal red wines of good rich in flint at Bellet. The south Manosquin), Terret Blanc, Terret to very good quality. of Corsica is mostly granite, while Gris (syn. Terret-Bourret), Terret Noir, the north is schistous, with a few Terret Ramenée, Tibouren (syn. 2000 Very good quality all around. Tibourenc), Ugni Blanc, Ugni Rosé, limestone outcrops and deposits of 1999 Average to good for Bandol, better for other reds. sandy and alluvial soils in between. Vermentino (syn. Rolle) 244 FRANCE N 570 7 N D 19 St-Rémy-de- N85 ALPES N202 Provence D2 Gréolières D973 212 les Baux-de- VAUCLUSE MARITIMES Colomars Provence D569 Cadenet D21 N7 D973 n Escragnolles Vence D17 Eyguières Vinon-sur- o r d 51 Verdon e Comps-sur-Artuby Loup N572 A V ARLES 111 Pertuis D554 SALON-DE- D561 1122 GRASSE 23 S Nice D ia PROVENCE 501 Aups g St-Martin-de-Crau A54 N96 n D562 D572 Rians e 729 A8 D561 D557 D562 N7 BOUCHESG Miramas DU RHÔNE 656 ANTIBES D3 Tavernes r 195 Etang a AIX-EN- Cap d'Antibes n N568 D10 du A7 299 d A PROVENCE 589 CANNES Vaccarès rc R Istres DRAGUIGNAN D554 Ile Ste-Marguerite h Berre-l'Etang Etang ns N555 ô Arge 226 le Muy St-Maximin- N7 117 n D9 de N98 e la-Ste-Baume D35 Gardanne A8 Berre N96 D908 Trets A8 VAR Frejus Marìgnane N560 670 D25 Port-St-Louis- 47 N568 Auriol Brignoles du-Rhône D1 507 N7 le Luc MARTIGUES 682 D558 D5 la Garde- Carry-le-Rouet Pignans A50 Gapeau D5 Freinet Marseille AUBAGNE Méounes- Ste-Maxime 57 Ile Ratonneau lès-Montrieux A D559 496 St-Tropez N8 800 Cogolin Cassis A50 52 424 le Beausset N98 153 D559 Cap Camarat Toulon Solliès-Pont LA CIOTAT 57 Cavalaire-sur-Mer A 175 Bandol le Lavandou Six-Fours-les Plages LA SEYNE- HYÈRES SUR-MER es Iles d ' Hyèr Villages entitled to add their names to Bellet the Vin de Corse (see Corsica map) Cap Corse or the Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence Vin de Corse appellation (see Provence map) Macinaggio Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence Patrimonio Côtes de Provence Ajaccio D801139 Coteaux Coteaux Varois Muscadet du Cap Corse du Cap Corse Departément boundary Golfe Nonza Cassis 1307 de St-Florent Erbalunga Height above sea level (meters) Palette 0 10 20 miles St-Florent D81 BASTIA Bandol 577 0 10 20 30 40 km I'lle-Rousse Sto-Pietro- N1197 di-Tenda Pointe de la Revellata D62 N193 Calvi N197 D151 9 1938 Casamozza G 848 Calenzana olo PROVENCE AND CORSICA, D147 Ponte-Leccia see also p.55 D81 Asco Folleli Although part of this wine-producing area is an N193 579 HAUTE CORSE island and part is on the French mainland, both F an Monte Cinto o Piedicroce PARIS go 2706 ol D71 of these sun-soaked regions are subject to the G Calacuccia Cervione same capricious Mediterranean weather 1438 D84 Corte conditions, although frost is rare in both. Golfe de Porto 146 Evisa 98 Capo Rosso 2327 Piana N200 N1 2453 D70 D81 T Guagno Vivario av D23 ig 22 141 na D69 732 n 1623 o Sagone Ghisoni Bocognano Monte D344 Renoso Aléria Golfe de Sagone N193 123 2281 CORSE- Ghisonaccia lli Capo di Feno ne ru THE CRUS CLASSÉS OF PROVENCE P 749 Cauro 1569 Provence is the only region outside Bordeaux to boast a cru classé system.The AJACCIO D83 Zicavo cru classé concept was conceived by Napoléon III, hence the 1855 classification. Golfe D555 Monte Incudine 2134 Solenzara One hundred years later, 14 domaines in the Côtes de Provence somehow d'Ajaccio 1060 DUD69 Verghia vo managed to arrange their own classification, endorsed by ministerial decree on ra D268 522 Ta Aullène e ès July 20, 1955.These domaines were selected on the basis of the following criteria: n Rizza ancestral inheritance; family ownership; historic buildings and reputation; the Capo di Muro 516 Zonza soil, vineyard, winery, and cellar; the wine produced; and the quality sought for Levie Propriano N198 Ste-Lucie-de- more than one century.The crus classés of Côtes de Provence are: Golfe de Valinco SUD Porto-Vecchio 1058 Sartène • Château de Brégançon (Bormes • Domaine de Rimauresq (Pignans): D59 Porto-Vecchio les Mimosas): 124 acres/50ha • Clos 91 acres/37ha • Château de Roubine 281 1 Cibonne (Le Pradet): 34 ⁄2 acres/14ha (Lorgues): 173 acres/70ha • Château Punta di Senetosa 171 N1 859 Sotta • Château du Galoupet (La Londe): Ste. Marguerite (La Londe): 62 96 D 163 acres/66ha • Domaine du Jas acres/25ha • Château de St. Martin Figari d’Esclans (La Motte): 156 acres/63ha (Taradeau): 94 acres/38ha • Château PARIS • Château de Mauvanne (Hyères): St.