The Wines of Provence (The Classic Wine Library)

‘Provence’ conjures many images to mind – fields of lavender, glistening Mediterranean vistas and glamorous seaside resorts, and when it comes to wine, rosé. There is no denying that pink dominates production; the pale rosés of the last 40 years have made the region commercially successful, attracting outside investment and celebrity owners, but there is another side to Provence and its wines. As well as the big brands and movie stars, one can find small producers preserving traditional winemaking and vignerons experimenting with new varieties and methods of vinification. Rather than getting swept along on a sea of commercial rosé, these producers are making terroir-expressive wines – big reds, tropical, saline whites and, yes, even some serious rosés.

The Wines of Provence begins by delving into its history, from early settlers to Hollywood investors, before defining the wine region and its terroirs, styles and varieties. Gabay and Bernheim then profile the most distinctive, quality-focused and historically significant producers. Taking their cue from terroir, they divide the book into three major regions, with different soils, elevations and climatic conditions. The coastal region stretches westward from Nice to the Rhône and includes the deep red Mourvèdre blends of Bandol. The warmer and more sheltered vineyards of inland Provence’s central valley are the region’s breadbasket and also include cooler, high-elevation sites on limestone soils. Painters such as Cézanne and Van Gogh were drawn to the scenery of the third region, its north and west corners, whose vineyards sit in valleys alongside lavender, fruit and vegetables.

The Wines of Provence is completed with appendices, including a handy guide to producers of fine wines, and colour maps and photographs. Gabay and Bernheim’s in-depth exploration of Provence’s wines proves that this is a region that has far more to offer than quaffable pink wine.

Elizabeth Gabay MW entered the wine trade in 1986, founding Elizabeth Gabay & Partners. She became a Master of Wine in 1998. She has lived in south-eastern France since 2002, and is currently based in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. Since 2020 she has been working with her son Ben Bernheim. They write for numerous magazines with a global readership, largely, but not only, about rosé, and are regular speakers at wine fairs and competitions. Elizabeth is the author of Rosé: Understanding the Pink Wine Revolution in the Classic Wine Library series, and Rosés of Southern France, which she co-authored with Ben Bernheim. Gabay and Bernheim make their own wine in Slovakia, in partnership with Vladimir Magula, and have consulted with other producers on rosé, including Kylie Minogue. Together they organize a rosé writing competition and trade events, including their Fine Rosé Day.