Provence Beyond Rosé: The Underrated Reds

                 The village of Chateauneuf du Pape is a full immersion experience in wine

When many people think of Provence, they picture colorful outdoor markets and endless fields of lavender. I've seen these vistas during my many visits, but when I think of Provence, I think of its wines—its true unsung heroes. While I adore Provence’s rosés, I’m utterly enamored with its spicy, full‑flavored reds and its elegant, tropical whites. These wines are, hands down, some of the most underrated in France.

Most serious wine lovers know Châteauneuf‑du‑Pape, but they may not be aware of the equally refined wines of Bandol or the remarkable quality‑to‑price ratios found in Vacqueyras and Gigondas. Let’s explore Provence’s “non‑pink” wines, beginning with terroir and then moving on to its grapes.

🌿 Terroir

            The Rhone, along with the Mediterranean, has a tremendous influence on Provence's wine

Provence sits in the South of France, where the Rhône River cuts through the region on its way to the Mediterranean. Vineyards closest to it benefit from mineral‑rich soils and rocks washed down from the Alps. Summers are hot—thanks to beaucoup sunlight—so ripening grapes is never an issue. And the mighty mistral winds sweep through the region, keeping pests at bay and the air remarkably clear.

🍇 Grapes

                                   GSM is one of the hallmark blends in all of France

Red grapes dominate Provence, thriving in the region’s heat. Syrah and Grenache are the most widely planted, joined by Mourvèdre—another Rhône varietal. These three grapes are often blended together and affectionately referred to as GSM, an acronym of their initials.

🍷 Châteauneuf‑du‑Pape: Provence’s Superstar Reds

                At Chateau Beaucastel, Wine-Knows are taken to the vines to see rock-filled vineyards

Red wine accounts for roughly 35% of Provence’s production. The most prized are the celebrated reds come from the village of Châteauneuf‑du‑Pape. Located near the Rhône River, the area is famous for vineyards strewn with large stones—galets roulés—left behind by ancient flooding. These stones provide superb drainage and reflect heat back onto the vines during Provence’s cold winters.

My favorite producers are Château Beaucastel and Château La Nerthe. Their wines—both reds and whites—are gorgeous, voluptuous, and complex…so wonderful they make you forget all about their steep prices.

🌊 Bandol: The Mediterranean Jewel

                                             The Bandol appellation is on the Mediterranean

Further south lies the tony little wine area of Bandol. Just a few miles from the Mediterranean, Bandol’s wines are an exception to Provence’s blending tradition. They are primarily made from Mourvèdre, and many are 100% varietal. Seek out Château Pibarnon and Domaine Tempier for some truly killer wines.

💎 Gigondas & Vacqueyras: Quality Meets Value

                                     The tiny village of Gigondas is a Provence charmer

For exceptional quality at a fair price, look to the villages of Gigondas and Vacqueyras. Here are a few of the many standout reds: Famille Perrin, Gigondas, L’Argnée Vieilles Vignes and Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux, Vacqueyras, Cuvée de Lopy.

Next time you're buying wine, look beyond Rose and turn to the unsung heroes of the area, the Reds.

What is GSM?

                      France's Rhone River Valley is ground zero for the GSM blend

Over the past twenty years the phrase GSM has become quite popular among serious wine lovers.  Sommeliers are using the term to discuss their wine list, and tasting room personnel in California’s Central Coast wineries toss it to and fro like it was commonplace.  For those of you who are coming on our September trip to the Rhone Valley and don’t know the term, you need to know it.  GSM is code for the immensely popular Rhone blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre.  

                          GSM appears in both the north & south Rhone but in differing proportions 

The Rhone Valley is the second largest wine growing region in France.  GSM is dominant throughout both of its two sub regions, the northern & southern Rhone. Here’s a recap of these three varieties that comprise GSM.

Grenache

One of the most versatile red grapes in the world, Grenache thrives in hot, dry climates such as the Rhone Valley, Spain (where it is named Garnacha), and California.  Grenache produces wines that can range from light to full-bodied; from simple inexpensive wines that offer immediate satisfaction to complex ones that are cellar worthy and do not come cheaply.  Grenache is all about fruit…strawberries, blackberries, raspberries.  That being said, the variety’s earth notes can include an interesting layering of spices such as allspice, cinnamon or pepper, as well as subtle nuances of floral notes. 

Grenache is the superstar grape in the wines of the southern Rhone.  Chateauneuf du Pape, for example, is typically a blend of 75% Grenache.  In second and third place in the south’s blend are Sryah and Mourvedre, respectively.  

                  Wine-Knows visit the famous hill of  Hermitage in the Northern Rhone

Sryah

Unlike the southern Rhone where Grenache rules, Syrah is King in the Northern Rhone dominating the blend in famous wines such as Hermitage and Cote-Rotie.  In fact, DNA testing shows the Syrah grape is indigenous to the Rhone Valley.

Syrah, in contrast to Grenache, contributes not only firm tannins that make for powerfully flavored and full bodied wines, but Syrah’s very dark inky color adds  deep hues to these northern Rhones.    Similar to Grenache, on the other hand, the Syrah grape yields rich fruit flavors in the form of black cherry, blackberry and plum.  Syrah also provides a beguiling spice profile of cloves, licorice, white or black pepper, and even chocolate.  

Wine-Knows will visit the town of Chateauneuf du Pape & its famous wineries

Mourvedre

The “M” part of GSM tends to produce deeply-colored and tannic wines that can be high in alcohol.   Mourvedre is mainly used for blending in both the northern & southern Rhone and is rarely vinified as a varietal except in the appellation of Bandol (on the Mediterranean) where the cooling maritime influence can change it into a rockstar.  Mourvedre offers earth flavors such as leather, as well as dark fruit flavors.  There is often even a patina of chocolate.

If you’re joining the Wine-Knows' harvest tour this September in France you’ll have several opportunities to sample GSM in the famous southern Rhone appellation of Chateauneuf du Pape, as well as Hermitage and Cote Rotie of the northern Rhone.  We have remaining 1-2 spaces still available for a lucky GSM lover.  But, since we’ll also be visiting Burgundy and Champagne on this same trip, Pinot Noir & bubble lovers are also welcomed!

Burgundy & Champagne – Wine-Knows Travel (wineknowstravel.com)

 

 

Marvelous Mouvedre

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The French Riviera's village of Bandol is one of the epicenters for Mouvedre wine 

The red Mouvedre grape loves heat.  That’s why you’ll find it growing in places like Spain, the South of France, California and the warmer parts of Australia.  Thought to be native to Spain, Mouvedre is perhaps most famous for the French wine it produces in the southern Rhone Valley.  The Rhone’s celebrated “GSM” blend, is composed of Grenache, Syrah and Mouvedre.

                         Domaine Tempier produces rock-star Mouvedre in the Rhone

Mouvedre is a deeply pigmented, thick skinned grape which translates to a very dark colored wine (only Syrah is darker).  As tannins are also in grape skins, this  means a more tannic wine.   Because of these two attributes, Mouvedre is often blended with other varietals to provide more color and structure.   Mouvedre is also used for the same reasons in making Rosé wines in southern France.   Spain even uses this grape in making Rosé Cava.

                                        In Spain, the Mouvedre grape is called Monastrell

In addition to making big, full-bodied wines, the Mouvedre grape produces flavors of dark red fruits, a floral component (think violets), and herbaceous notes such as black pepper and thyme.    This is not a sissy's wine.   For food pairing, think big and bold such as BBQ meats that have been marinated in flavors that complement the wine such as lavender, rosemary and thyme.   For veggie lovers, try grilled portobello mushrooms with garlic, olive oil and fresh complementary herbs.

Those coming on this September's Week with Julia Child in Provence will have the opportunity to sample many wines made from 100% Mouvedre,  GSM blends,  and even Rosés.   For more information on this trip, check it out:

http://www.wineknowstravel.com/julia-2022-1-itinerary-2/  

Chateauneuf du Papes ROCKS!

         Rocks carried down by ancient glaciers & the Rhone River define Chateauneuf du Pape's wine

The wines of Chateauneuf du Pape are among the most coveted in the wine world.  These are powerful, complex red wines that are made from GSM (Grenache, Syrah and Mouvedre---the area’s “Holy Trinity” of grapes).  Chateauneuf du Pape is located in the southern part of France's Rhone Valley, and the Rhone River plays an instrumental role in this wine region.  Rocks, washed downstream by the Rhone and deposited in Chateauneuf’s riverside vineyards, are critical to making these world-class wines.

In fact, the rocks of Chateauneuf du Pape are so important to its wine that the stones actually have their own name, galets.   These galets are remnants of Alpine glaciers that have been carried down over millennia by the Rhone River.  The constant churning by the Rhone is responsible for the galets’ smooth exterior. Often overflowing its banks, the Rhone has left in its wake vineyards that are often yards deep in these galet stones.  But, how can rocks be so important in making an outstanding wine?  Let me explain.

Rocks provide heat for ripening, drainage & erosion protection

Galets are a distinguishing feature of Chateauneuf du Pape’s wines and translate into the glass in several ways.  First, they are integral to the  to the ripening of the grapes, as well as promoting growth of vines.  By absorbing heat from the day’s sunshine, these rocks release this heat back to the vine during the cold nights---they are a kind of built-in heating system.  Second, galets provide excellent drainage thus are important for the vine's growth.  Chateauneuf’s subsoils consist of layers of smaller broken down pebble-like galets.  This stratum of earth affords a perfect drainage system for the vines. Furthermore, the galets protect the soil from erosion by the violent Mistral winds of southern France.

Underneath this top layer are several feet of tumbled stone

My favorite Chateauneuf du Pape wine?  That’s like naming a favorite child, but there are two that always float to the top of my list.  (By the way, this small wine district also makes some killer whites…and one of them is on my list!)

Chateau Beaucastel Red:  GSM (75%) with ten other Rhone grapes making up the remaining 25%.  $100-$500 depending on the vintage.

Chateau La Nerthe White:  Also a blend, this ethereal wine is made from four white Rhone grapes:  Grenache blanc, Roussane, Clairette and Bourboulenc.    $55-$75 and worth every cent.

Hope your weekend rocks.

Rhone Rangers, Part II

                                 Large rocks provide warmth to vines during cold nights

This is a second article in a two part series on France’s world-class Rhone Valley wine district.  Today we travel to the southern sub-zone of the Rhone.  Many readers may know this southern area because of its famous wines from the town of Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

The southern Rhone terroir is different from the cold, harsh north.   The Mediterranean Sea exerts a tremendous influence by moderating the south’s temperatures.  Winters in the south are far less dramatic, and southern summers are hot but cooled by the effects of the Mediterranean.   Large rocks washed down over the millenniums from the Alps and other mountains by the Rhone River, also help with the climate:  retaining heat, they provide warmth to vines on cold nights.  Their smaller pebbles create excellent drainage.  

While Syrah is supreme in the northern Rhone, the big kahuna red grape of the southern Rhone is Grenache.  While Grenaches comprises nearly 70% of the south’s vineyards, there are several other red varietals allowed by law.  All southern Rhone wines are blended.    While wines are mainly Grenache, a little Syrah is added to for its color and spice, as is Mouvedre which adds structure and elegance.  The southern Rhone blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mouvedre is so popular that it is frequently called simply GSM.  This famous blend has been replicated around the world.

The southern Rhone’s Holy Grail appellation is Chateauneuf-du-Pape (“the Pope’s new house,” named so after the papacy was move from Rome to this area in 1309).  These wines are some of the most seductive I know.  Like all southern Rhones, they are Grenache-centric, however, similar to the northern Rhone, laws allow for combining both red and white grapes.  GSM is strongly represented in the mix, but there are also some white grapes added in small amounts.   

While red wines are the majority produced in the southern Rhone, opulent whites are also made.   They are scare but, oh, but they can be divine.  Made from unknown varietals like Ugni Blanc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, and Picpoul (along with Roussane and Marsanne), a white southern Rhone from Chateauneuf-du-Pape can be a religious experience.

Pop a Rhone wine to celebrate the weekend!

Wines of Provence

                               Provence offers many charms, including its wines

I'm on my way to Italy after a star-studded two weeks in Provence.  When many think of Provence they flash on images of colorful outdoor markets and fields of lavender.  Yes, I experienced these vistas during my stay but when I think of Provence I think of its wines---its true unsung heroes.  While I love Provence's Rosés, I’m really enamored with its spicy, full-flavored reds, as well as its elegant, tropical whites.  Hands down, these wines are some of the most underrated in France.  While most serious wine lovers know Chateauneuf-du-Pape, they may not be aware of the equally elegant wines of Bandol, or of Provence’s great quality/price ratios like the area of Vacqueyras and Gigondas.   Let’s examine the “non-pink” wines of Provence beginning with terroir, and then move on to its grapes.  

Provence is located in the South of France and the Rhone River, which cuts through it on its way to the nearby Mediterranean, exerts a tremendous influence on the terroir.  Vineyards nearest the river have mineral-rich soil washed down from the Alps.  Summers are hot due to beaucoup sunlight, so there’s no problem ripening grapes. Mighty mistral winds keep pests at bay.

Red grapes, which thrive in the heat, are dominant in Provence.  Varietals such as Syrah and Grenache are most popular.  Another “Rhone varietal” is Mouvedre. These three grapes often are blended together, in fact, they are often referred to as a trio by the name “GSM,” an acronym of all their first letters. While red wine accounts for about 35% of Provence’s production, white wine is 15% (the remaining 50% is  Rosé).  Major white grapes include Marsanne, Roussane, Viognier and Rolle (known as Vermentino in Italy).  Like the reds, white varietals are blended rather than vinified as a single varietal.

Provence’s superstar reds are from the village of Chateauneuf-du-Pape.  Located very near the Rhone River, Chateauneuf-du-Pape is known for its vineyards filled with large stones left from the flooding river. These stones provide superb drainage and reflect back the heat in Provence’s cold winters.  My favorite producers are Chateau Beaucastel and Chateau La Nerthe.   These are gorgeous, voluptuous, complex reds and whites….so wonderful that they make you forget all about their steep prices.

Further south is the tony little wine area of Bandol.  Located just a few miles from the Mediterranean, these elegant wines are an exception to the blending norm throughout other areas of Provence.   They are mainly made from Mouvedre and many are 100% varietal.  Check out Chateau Pibarnon and Domaine Tempier for some killer wines.

For a great quality price ratio consider the Provence villages of Gigondas and Vacqueyras.    Here are some great reds from the 2015 vintage well worth searching out:

• Famille Perrin, Gigondas, L’Argnée Vieilles Vignes
• Domaine Raspail-Av, Gigondas
• Montirius, Gigondas, Confidentiel
• Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux, Vacqueyras, Cuvée de Lopy

Looking for a terrific white from Provence?  Below are some wonder-filled options...and the first one is worth every Euro:

• Domaine Pibarnon, Bandol
• Clos Sainte Magdeleine, "Bel-Amre,"  Cassis

Onward to a seaside villa with Wine-Knows on Tuscany's Mediterranean...