Continuing on our exploration of French wines, we move south and east from the Rhône to explore Provence.
Provence
Without a doubt, Provence is one of the most beautiful regions in France, but it’s no slouch when it comes to wine either. While the quality of the whites is a little bit sporadic, both the rosé and red wines are delicious. The top regions in Provence are:
- Bandols – Produces both Red and Rosé wines, and while both are good, reds from Bandol are the highlight with plenty of spice and leather notes. By law, these must be made with at least 50% mourvèdre.
- Cassis – Better known for its black-currant liqueur, this region also makes dry, full bodied whites from Clairette and Marsanne Grapes
- Coteaux d’Aix-En-Provence – While they make a little bit of everything, the best wines feature grenache, syrah, mourvèdre, and cinsaut. More of the better wines tend to be red.
- Côtes De Provence – Almost everything that comes from this region is rosé, made from grenache, cinsaut, and tibouren.
Hecht Bannier Côtes De Provence 2014
Hecht Bannier Côtes De Provence 2014 offers something I’ve never actually seen before, a glass stopper. While these do exist, they’re particularly rare due to the cost. So does it make it better?
Sight: A shimmering pinkish orange, that seems to transition seamlessly between the two
Smell: Delicately floral, almost clean smelling. Notes of orange blossom, roses, strawberries and raspberry gently float off the nose. A touch of sweetness comes out as well.
Sip: The body is light, and doesn’t jump out immediately, but rather chimes in slowly. As it warms up, it picks up a bit of sweetness while brightening considerably more. Flavors of roses, orange zest, and raspberry get involved, with a certain amount of spiciness. It’s a touch herbal in all the right ways.
Savor: The finish is long, and balances orange flavors with a mix of floral notes and raspberries.
Hecht Bannier Côtes De Provence is balanced, lively, and flavorful. Fans of fruit basket roses aren’t necessarily going to find this to their liking, but those that enjoys a balance of wild herbs, floral notes, and fruit will be right at home. That said, in terms of travel by bottle, Hecht Bannier Côtes De Provence is a sterling example of a Provencal rosé
Verdict: Wild Herbs, Flowers, Strawberries, Raspberry, Lively
Rating: 80
Price: $17
Côtes De Provence, France
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