Côtes de Provence

Côtes de Provence is a dry, pale rosé from Provence in southern France, usually made from grapes such as Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah. Expect strawberry, peach and watermelon with citrus, flowers and fresh herbs. Crisp, elegant and ridiculously refreshing, it’s brilliant with seafood, salads, grilled chicken, sushi and Mediterranean food.

Taste:

Pale, dry and responsible for approximately a million summer holiday fantasies.

Côtes de Provence rosé is typically dry and light-bodied, with fresh acidity and delicate flavours of strawberry, raspberry, peach and watermelon. Citrus – particularly grapefruit – is common too, alongside white flowers, fresh herbs and a subtle mineral or saline edge.

The style is usually all about freshness and elegance rather than sweetness or huge fruit flavours.

And despite the pale colour becoming something of a status symbol in the rosé world, colour alone doesn't tell you how good the wine is.

Very chic. Still needs to taste nice.

Food Pairings:

Côtes de Provence is practically built for Mediterranean food and seafood.

Try it with prawns, crab, calamari, grilled fish, sea bass, tuna or salmon. Seafood pasta, garlic prawns, sushi, sashimi and seafood salads are brilliant matches too.

For meat, pair it with grilled chicken, roast chicken, chicken kebabs or charcuterie.

Salads are very safe territory, including Greek salad, Niçoise salad, goat's cheese salad, chicken salad and tomato and mozzarella salad.

For Mediterranean food, try hummus, falafel, couscous, grilled aubergine, roasted peppers, courgette, olives or herb-packed vegetable dishes.

It also works beautifully with lighter pizzas, particularly Margherita, prosciutto, vegetable or seafood pizza.

For cheese, try goat's cheese, feta, mozzarella or Brie.

Similar Wines:

If you enjoy Côtes de Provence, Grenache Rosé and Cinsault Rosé are great ways to explore two of the key grapes behind many Provence blends.

Tavel takes southern French rosé in a deeper-coloured, fuller-bodied direction, while Garnacha Rosado offers a juicy Spanish interpretation of Grenache rosé.

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More About Côtes de Provence:

Côtes de Provence is the largest rosé-producing appellation in Provence, stretching across a large area of southeastern France close to the Mediterranean coast.

Rosé dominates production, with Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Tibouren among the important permitted grapes.

The region isn't one uniform landscape. Vineyards stretch from coastal areas to hills further inland, with significant differences in soils, altitude and climate creating variation between wines.

Its signature pale-pink style has become so internationally successful that Provence has essentially managed to turn a shade of rosé into a brand.

Honestly, marketing departments everywhere should be taking notes.