Toast the Holidays with Dry Rosé

Once consigned to the role of summertime staple, rosé wines from the Provence region of France are now increasingly sought out by discerning wine drinkers throughout the year, especially during the holiday season.

“Rosé wines from Provence bring a distinctive flavor and elegant air to the holiday table, plus our rosés pair well with so many seasonal foods,” said Francois Millo, director of the Counseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de Provence (CIVP), known in the U.S. as the Provence Wine Council.

With their fresh, dry taste, rosés from Provence complement all manner of holiday foods – oysters, shrimp, caviar, lobster, pork and lamb roasts, a variety of savories, even chocolate and fresh fruit – offering a quality taste experience at an attractive price. Yet these versatile wines from France’s oldest wine region are as serious as the highest quality reds, whites and Champagnes.

In addition, their tall, elegant bottles and lovely pink hues lend a festive touch to the holiday tablescape.
The rosé category includes varying styles – some fuller, some more crisp. Even within the renowned rosé region of Provence, pink wines display a range of colors, textures, and flavors. Yet all Provence rosés tend to be fresh, bright, and dry on the palate.

Rosé from Provence is made from red grapes, just as red wine is, but rosé producers keep the dark skins in contact with the pale juice for only a brief time – just long enough to achieve rosé’s lovely pink color and distinctive flavor.
To locate shops that carry Provence rosé, visit the Retailers section of www.winesofprovence.com. Use the interactive map or state-by-state dropdown menu to access a list of retailers offering one or more of the region’s celebrated rosés. Retailers may also offer red and white Provence wines.

The Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de Provence (CIVP), known in the United States as the Provence Wine Council, is an organization representing more than 600 Provence wine producers and 72 trade companies. Its mission is to promote and advance the wines of the Provence region of France. The organization’s members together produce 95 percent of Provence’s Appellation d’Origine Controlee (AOC) wines. Its U.S. web address is www.winesofprovence.com.