Provence

Question 1

Provence: Climate

Answer 1

• warm Mediterranean climate with adequate rainfall
• cold Mistral wind from the north helps reduce fungal disease
• high portion of organic vineyards 20% above the national average
• Altitude inland at 400 m provides moderating influence. Shelter from the wind helps yields

Question 2

Provence: Vineyard Management

Answer 2

• traditional bush vines are being replaced wiith trelisses to reduce cost
• easier to control canopy and achieve sugar level and ripe skins . Inter row access is easier for machines.
• Grapes grown for rose are picked early than for red wine to retain acidity
• short maceration requires ripe tannins to avoid bitterness
• harvest dates are critical

Question 3

Provence : Rose Wine Making by Hand

ADV and DIS

Answer 3

ADV:
* less stress on grapes during harvesting
* fruit can be sorted in the vineyard
* whole bunch is gentler and extracts less phenolics and solids
* more juice is produced at lower pressure due to presence of the stems
DIS :
* need a large well trained team
* increasing diffiuclt to find and retain labour / early morning picks at 4am
* more expensive and slower
* whole bunch is time consuming

Question 4

Provence: Rose Winemaking

Answer 4

• most common direct pressing , skin maceration
• 10% of white whine allowed in the blend
• blush colour from low level of colour in the skins
• Must are usually acidifed
• Fruit is handled in a portective way at 4 degress to reduce rate of oxi , preserve aromas and pale colour
• Ferment in ss tanks using cultured yeast or ambient yeast
• cultured is reliable and starts ferment quickly to avoid off flavours
• Ferment temps at 14-18 degrees to preserve primary fruit flavours
• Wines fermented to dry. MLFC is blocked to preserve primary
• Deeper colours can be fined to remove colour
• stored for 2-3 months in ss tanks on lees
• or 8-10 months for texture
• some make oak aged prem wines eg. Chateau d’Esclans

Question 5

Provence : Rose Winemaking by Machine /Short Maceration / Hold in Press

ADV and DIS

Answer 5

ADV:
* Fast
* cheaper than hand harvesting
* does not require large picking teams
* grapes can be picked at night
* short delay between pick and cold storage

DIS :
* Machines require trained and up to date well maintained machines and drivers
* grapes are destemmed so whole bunch is not possible
* reqiure higher pressure to extract the same amount of juice as whole bunch -faster , cheaper

Question 6

Provence: Cotes de Provence AOC

Answer 6

• 20,000 hc , 95% rose
• Grenache Noir, Cinsaut, Mouvedre and Syrah, and Tibouren
  *** MAX YIELD IS 55hl/hc **
  Subzones are 50hl/hc
• Pale pink-orange, light to medium intesnity raspberry , red plum, herbal notes, medium acid, medium body and alcohol
• good to very good and mid price to prem

Question 7

Provence: Other AOCs

Answer 7

1. Coteaux Varois en Provence AOC and Coteaux d’Aix en Provence AOC - both use **Counoise grape and have max of 60hl/hc **
2. Les Baux de Provence AOC - NW area close to Rhone River makes mostly red GSM - must be 60% of the blend