Provence Flashcards
What percentage of Provence’s total production is rose?
90%
Global consumption is on the rise.
Who is Frederic Mistral?
A Provencal poet who championed the Occitan language & Provencal folk art and culture.
He was awarded the 1904 Nobel Prize for Literature and the French Legion d’Honneur medal.
He is best known for giving voice to the cicada, the iconic symbol of Provence, by coining the motto for the Association of Provencal Poets (Felibrige): Lou souleu mi fa canta… the sun makes me sing.
What Provencal roses show the ability to age?
- Grand rose
- Rose a conserver
These wines shed their fermentation aromas & flavours and will improve with 2-3 years of bottle age.
How is Provence revealing rose’s ability to express terroir?
Through the growing number of DGCs within the Cotes de Provence appellation.
What may explain why Provence has not received the same recognition and respect for its wines during the 20th century as have others?
The region’s largest production zones were elevated to AOC status relatively recently by comparison. (1970s, 80s & 90s)
Where is Provence located?
The region is located in the southeastern section of France and is framed by the Mediterranean sea along its southern edge. It is bordered by the Rhone River & Languedoc to the west and Italy to the east.
The Durance River is the northern border, although the northernmost vineyard area lies just north of that.
It is 150-200mi/241-322km wide and 100mi/161km from north to south.
What is the climate in Provence?
Mediterranean
- Some interior areas experience some alpine or continental influences due to elevation.
- Summers are hot & dry
- Mediterranean Sea has moderating influences along the coast
- Inland, temperatures are less balmy & nights are cooler
How much sunshine does Provence receive?
2,700-3,000 hours per year
How much rainfall does Provence receive?
23-35in/600-900mm per year
Most rainfall is winter-dominant.
How does the Mistral impact Provence?
The same way as it does the Rhone Valley, expect that Provence’s many mountian chains channel this cool, dry wind in a southeasterly direction.
List Provence’s topographical features from east to west.
- Maritime Alps: run along the border w/ Italy
- Massif de L’Esterel: small chain of volcanic coastal mountains between Frejus & Cannes; the massif rises to 2,000ft/600m; composed of volcanic materials surrounded by sandstone
- Massif des Maures: coastal range 2,570ft/780m in elevation, it runs along the edge of the Mediterranean coast between Hyeres & Frejus; consists of granite, gneiss & mica schist
- Sainte-Baume: mountain range stretching from Toulon to Marseille; the peak is 3,763ft.1,147m in elevation; limestone peak
- Massif des Calangues: runs along the coast between Marseille & Cassis, creating a series of deep, narrow crevices that create inlets along the coast; reaching 1,854ft/565m at its highest point; limestone peak
- Montagne Saint-Victoire: most famous mountain of Provence (Cezanne); this massif lies east of Aix-en-Provence; reaches 3,316ft/1,011m high; limestone peak
- Les Alpilles: chain of low mountains (1,270ft/381m) south of Avignon, running 15mi/24km west to east & 3mi/5km north to south
- Mont Ventoux: located 38mi/61km northeast of Avignon, climbing 6,273ft/1,912m high; vineyards belong to Rhone Valley’s Ventoux AOC; often part of the Tour de France; limestone peak
What soil types are found in Provence?
2 principal soil types:
* Calcareous limestone: hills & ranges along the western boundaries
* Crystalline or quartz-rich schist: eastern parts of the region
What vegetation of the Mediterranean basin corresponds to which of the 2 principal soil types in Provence?
- Garrigue (resinous herbs that grow upon alkaline soils): found in limestone
- Maquis (mix of resinous scrub): grows on acidic quartz-rich schist
Which grape variety was introduced to Coteaux d’Aix -en-Provence by Georges Brunet?
Cabernet Sauvignon
Brunet, owner of Bordeaux’s Chateau La Lagune, introduced this after WWII.
Rank the grape varieties grown in Provence in 1961 from widest to least.
- Carignan (39%)
- Ugni Blanc (29%)
- Clairette (13%)
- Cinsaut (11%)
-
Grenache (4%)
Other (4%)
Pre-AOC CIVP 1961
Name the white grape varieties of Provence.
- Clairette: primary or secondary grape in every Provence AOC; its plantings have diminished
- Marsanne: partners with Clairette in the white wines of Cassis
- Vermentino (Rolle): primary grape in most Provencal whites; can be used as a blending partner in Provence’s roses
Others: Semillon, Ugni Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Araignan, Colombaud, Furmint, Muscat a Petits Grains Blanc, Muscat d’Alexandrie, Pascal Blanc, Piquepoul Blanc, Terret Blanc, Blanqueiron, Chardonnay, Mayorquin & Viognier
Name the rose/gris grape varieties of Provence.
Barbaroux, Clairette Rose & Terret Gris: mostly used in the small AOC of Palette
Name the red grape varieties of Provence.
- Grenache: dominant red grape in rose blends; its thin skin & light colour are assets
- Cinsaut: adds moderate pigment, red fruit & floral notes to reds & roses
- Mourvedre: takes center stage in reds & roses of Bandol
- Braquet Noir: unique to Bellet AOC where it’s used in reds & roses
Others: Syrah, Tibouren, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Counoise, Caladoc, Brun Fourca, Castet, Durif, Muscat a Petits Grains Rouge, Muscat de Hambourg, Teoulier, Terret Noir & Fuella Nera (Folle Noire)
Rank the grape varieties currently grown in Provence from widest to least.
- Grenache (38%)
- Cinsaut (19%)
- Syrah (16%)
- Carignan (8%)
- Vermentino (5%)
- Mourvedre (5%)
- Ugni Blanc (2%)
-
Tibouren (2%)
Others (5%)
CIVP 2017
What vinetraining method is used in Provence?
- Older vines were planted & trained in the gobelet system
- Newer vines are trained in Guyot fashion: this works with trellis support & assists with mechanization
Why is mechanization important in the vineyards of Provence?
In rose production, colour management & aroma retention is vital. Mechanically harvesting at night allows producers to bring cool fruit into the winery.
What is the harvest parameter for rose wines in Provence?
Grapes for rose wines are harvested 10-14 days earlier than grapes for red wine production. Picking ripe fruit (without green notes) that still possesses vibrant acidity is pivotal to producing quality rose.
How do some winemakers layer flavour and build complexity in rose wine production in Provence?
By blending juice from 3 carefully timed harvests at the end of the growing season:
* first, earliest harvest, provides grapes with acidity
* second, later harvest yields grapes with ripe fruit aromas
* last harvest provides grapes with higher sugars for body/alcohol & structure
How much have average temperatures in Provence gone up due to climate change?
2.5°F/1.4°C
It is expected that temperatures will increase by an additional 3.6-10.8°F/2-6°C over the next 80 years.
What issue is of most concern with climate change in Provence?
Heat waves accompanied by warm or hot nights. These conditions greatly stress the vine.
During droughts, Vignerons can pull water from the Canal de Provence, if required.
What organic initiative has helped mitigate hydric stress in Provence?
Rye grass cover crops are planted, then cut as soon as the rye begins to compete with the vines for water. The cut rye is left as a mulch to prevent soil moisture from evaporating.
Where are the old cork oak forests of Provence?
Massif des Maures
What styles of wine are produced in Provence?
- Dry White
- Rose
- Red
No sparkling or sweet wine is made under current AOC rules.
How are rose wines produced in Provence?
- Direct press: traditional
- Saignee
Wines must be fermented dry.
Most AOCs mandate a blend and allow a specific percentage of white grapes to be co-fermented with the red.
What hue do roses of Provence take?
Pale pink or salmon.
What influences the colour of rose wines in Provence?
- Grapes used: Syrah & Mourvedre craft pink wines; Tibouren produces rose with a salmon hue
- Ripeness of the vintage
- Temperature of the grapes at harvest: warm grapes bleed more colour during vinification, regardless of the method used
- Winemaking method: direct press crafts pale wines; saignee results in more saturated colour
- Length of maceration: longer the maceration time, the more pigment is extracted
- Oxygen exposure: results in more orange tones
- Soil type: volcanic soils produce more orange tones
- Acidity level: Wines with lower acidity tend to be more salmon in colour; Wines with higher acidity are more pink.
What is the name of the copyrighted bottle designed by the Syndicat de Defense des Cotes de Provence (now Syndicat des Vins Cotes de Provence)?
- Flute a corset (referencing its pinched mid-section) or
- Skittle (referencing a traditional European bowling game)
It is an hourglass-shaped bottle that mirrors a bowling pin (quille)