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> Provence was the first Roman province outside of Italy, thus the name.
> The Ligurians and Celts were the original inhabitants of Provence, followed by the Greeks in the 6th century BC and the Romans in the 2nd century BC. Later, Provence was the target of hostile takeovers by the Visigoths, Franks, Arabs, Berber pirates, and Holy Roman Empire before it became a fief of the French Corwn in 1246. It was officially incorporated into the French royal domain in 1486.
> Provence’s climate is Mediterranean. There’s plenty of sun (nearly 3000 hours per year), limited rain (27 inches) and lots of air movement thanks to the mistral, a cold, hard wind that blows out of the north.
> Provence's four main wine appellations are Bandol, Cassis, Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence, and Cotes de Provence. At nearly 45,000 acres, the Cotes de Provence, is the region’s largest appellation.
> In addition to the traditional red varieties - Carignane, Grenache, Cinsaut, Mourvedre and Tibouren - Cabernet and Syrah have been included in many a blend over the last 40 years.
> Last we heard Peter Mayle, of A Year in Provence fame, still lives in Provence.
> The white light and rugged landscapes of Provence were often featured in the paintings of Cézanne and van Gogh.
> The word garigue is an essential part of the lexicon of Southern France. It refers to the rocky, scrubby outcroppings of vegetation found in the thin soils of the countryside. The scent of garigue - rosemary, lavender, evergreens, mints, laurels, myrtles and scrub oaks – is often present in the local wines. |
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| The Sorting Table, LLC 1700 Second St. Suite 380 Napa, CA 94559 (707) 603-1460 |
Content and Images ©2013 The Sorting Table, LLC. |
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