France’s Great Rosé Regions, Mapped

If you’ve found yourself sipping a crisp, refreshing rosé from a sleek, fashionable bottle on a patio or by a pool this summer, chances are the wine was from Provence. The idyllic lavender-covered region in the south of France has become a symbol of rosé over the past decade or so, but France has a lot more to offer than the big-brand pale pink wines that line every grocery store shelf.

For rosé drinkers looking to explore a wider range of French wines, there are two options: Dive deeper into the unique sub-appellations of Provence, or zoom out and explore the country’s other regions. Bandol, for example, is a small village within Provence, known for its complex and age-worthy Mourvèdre-based rosés. While still within the bounds of southern France, it offers a completely different expression. On the other hand, shifting focus to northern regions like the Loire Valley uncovers an entirely new set of intriguing rosés.

While you might be able to find great bottles of rosé from each of France’s major wine regions, here are five of the best spots to search for your next bottle.

Champagne

While Champagne is best known for sparkling whites, France’s premier wine region also produces impressive sparkling rosés. Often, the rosés are actually the most expensive, prestigious wines in a producer’s lineup due to the heavy demand for Pinot Noir. Beyond the fact that they’re sparkling, rosé Champagnes are also distinct for another reason: Most are made by blending red and white wines together. While this practice is typically frowned upon — or even strictly prohibited — by most French still wine appellations, mixing a small percentage of red wine in with the white juice is common practice in Champagne and leads to deeply hued, flavorful wine. Rosé Champagnes can offer the same bready, yeasty notes as the classic white expressions, but with added notes of raspberry jam, cranberries, and stewed strawberries. When the mood for rosé hits, don’t overlook these stunning sparkling versions.

Loire Valley

When it comes to still rosé, most eyes look to the south of France, but the cool-climate Loire Valley produces some remarkably crisp and complex rosés as well. The Loire is one of the country’s most diverse vineyard areas, home to a wide range of red grapes, from Cabernet Franc and Gamay to Pineau d’Aunis and Grolleau — and the region’s rosés reflect that spectrum.

Known for their savory, earthy Cabernet Francs, villages like Saumur and Chinon also produce great expressions of the grape in rosé form, with producers like Guiberteau and Olga Raffault making benchmark examples. Another appellation to seek out is Rosé d’Anjou, dry rosés that can include a number of grape varieties including Gamay, Pineau d’Aunis, Grolleau, Côt (Malbec), Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Grolleau Gris. These wines tend to be juicy and concentrated, with ripe red and blue berry notes. Also not to be overlooked are the rosés of Sancerre. Though the region is renowned for its flinty, mineral-driven Sauvignon Blancs, the Pinot Noir-based rosé wines offer bright aromas of red berries and orange blossom, and soft, elegant palates with notes of ripe red fruit, vanilla, and minerals.

Tavel

In a sea of big, bold reds, there’s one highly specific appellation focused on rosé. And like the hefty red wines of the region, Tavel is an intense, deeply hued wine. It features grapes used in  Rhône reds and the much lighter Provence rosés — Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, and more — but they undergo some maceration to achieve a bright magenta color. This small region tucked into the Rhône Valley has a hot, Mediterranean climate and well-draining, stony, sandy soils that encourage the vines to dig deep for nutrients. The resulting grapes are concentrated with powerful character, leading to textured, savory expressions of rosé that can pair with the heartiest meat dishes or be laid down in the cellar for years.

Provence

Provence is likely the best-known rosé region in the world — and for good reason. The sun-soaked, hilly region produces a distinctly crisp, salmon-pink rosé that many producers across the globe have tried to emulate. But the bright, mineral-driven wines of this scenic area continue to dominate the market. The grapes in this region are similar to those of the nearby Rhône Valley, with Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, and Carignan the most common. The white wine grape Vermentino (known locally as Rolle) also makes an appearance in some blends for some added acidity and verve, and Cabernet Sauvignon can also be added for some additional structure and color. Typically, the wines are Grenache- or Cinsault-dominant, as these varieties offer fresh fruit character like strawberries, watermelon, or orange zest. For those interested in classic rosés, this is the place to look.

Bandol

If Provence might hold the crown as France’s top rosé region, Bandol is the crown’s most precious gemstone. Provence is a large region with many sub-appellations including Côteaux d’Aix-en-Provence and Côteaux Varois, but of these smaller winemaking areas, Bandol is lauded for its rich, age-worthy rosés. The blends here are a bit different from the general Provence wines — it’s required that at least 50 percent of the wine is Mourvèdre, a grape known for its grippy tannins; meaty, savory notes; and powerful body. The blends are typically rounded out with the lighter, red-fruited grapes Grenache and Cinsault, or sometimes Syrah. These powerful rosés pack a lot of deep red fruit flavor as well as bright citrus and ripe tropical fruit notes, accented by hints of dried herbs. The historic Domaine Tempier produces standout expressions, but there are also many worthy alternatives at more approachable prices.

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