Côtes de Provence AOC

AOC area in the east of the French wine growing region Provence with about four fifths of the area. In the west are the two AOC areas Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence and Coteaux Varois. The vineyards cover around 20,000 hectares of vines in the three Départements Alpes-Maritimes, Bouches-du-Rhône and Var. Three different types of soil and a large number of approved grape varieties also result in different styles of wine. About 80% of the production are rosé wines, which are bottled in a special conical bottle.

Red wine and rosé are blended from at least two and in total at least 80% of the main varieties Cinsaut, Grenache Noir(Garnacha Tinta), Mourvèdre(Monastrell), Syrah and Tibouren, the secondary varieties Barbaroux, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pécoui Touar(Calitor Noir) and Carignan Noir(Mazuelo), and a maximum of 10% white varieties. The white wines are produced from the Clairette, Sémillon, Ugni Blanc(Trebbiano Toscano) and Rolle(Vermentino) varieties. A sub-appellation created in 2005 is Côtes de Provence Sainte-Victoire, which covers seven municipalities on the foothills of the mountain that gives the name to the region. It applies only to rosé and red wines.

Well-known producers include Domaine de l'Abbaye, Domaine la Bernarde, Domaine de La Courtade, Château de Garcinières, Domaine Gavoty, Domaine de la Jeanette, Château de Maravenne, Château Minuty, Domaine Ott, Commanderie de Peyrassol, Domaine des Planes, Domaine Rabiéga, Château Real Martin, Château Requier, Domaine Richeaume, Domaine de Rimauresq, Domaine Saint-André de Figuière, Château Sainte-Roseline, Domaine Siouvette, Domaine Tropez Beraud and Domaine Turenne