Located in the southeastern part of France, the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region is the oldest French wine region in the world. Last year, as part of our #EuroPangs trip, we visited Nice, which is located on the far east side of the province and is the second largest city in the region. In Provence, there are over 600 wine producers producing over 160 million bottles per year, with almost 89% of the wine produced being rosés. Rosé is the oldest known type of wine that is made from red grapes or red grape varietals. It incorporates some of the colour from the grape skins, but not enough of it to qualify it as a red wine. In France, most of the rosés are dry in taste. To read more about French wines, click here to check out our coverage of the 2014 Vancouver International Wine Festival that took place this past March.
I was invited to attend a seminar and wine tasting at Bistro 101 at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts. We learned from Francois Millo and Viktorija Todorovska, who educated us on Provence rosé and its relationship with food. François Millo is the director of the Provence Wine Council, and a published author and award-winning photographer. Viktorija Todorovska is also a published author who runs Oliva Cooking, a cooking and wine agency based in Chicago. 
We learned that Provence is the perfect region for wine production, due to its optimal geography with its varied climates and terrains. Combine that with their strong wine tradition, culture, experience, and know-how, and it’s easy to see why it’s such a hotspot for wine production. Rosés are perfect for spring and summer, and they top the charts for food-friendly versatility. Julian Bond, Executive Chef, VP, and COO of Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts, would prepare eight different dishes for us to pair with eight different rosés from Provence.
Left: Wild BC Mushroom & Ratatouille Popover, paired with Château la Mascaronne Quat’Saisons Rosé 2013 ($24.95). This full-bodied wine is a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, and Syrah grapes. It is quite golden for a rosé, but it has a fresh and crisp flavour profile with a touch of citrus. Right: Rabbit Confit on a Pistachio Cracker, paired with Mirabeau en Provence Rosé 2013 ($23.99). This rich but dry wine is full of raspberry and cherry flavours, and it has a good acidity structure with a lingering finish. As the grapes are grown in clay and limestone, you can also pick up some subtle hints of limestone minerality in the wine.
Left: Smoked Chicken with Tomato Jam, paired with Domaine Houchart Rosé 2013 ($17.99). This sub-$20 wine has strawberries and red berries notes, with aromas of yellow peach and grapefruit. It is long-lasting on the palate, but it didn’t really stand out for me. Right: Fig Stuffed with Chorizo and Roasted Almonds, paired with Gassier Sables D’Azur Rosé 2013 ($21.50). This fruity wine has a fresh red berry taste with delicate acidity and almond notes. It was really well-paired with the stuffed figs.
Left: Baba Ghanoush Toast, paired with Château Routas Rouvière Rosé 2013 ($21.99). This pale wine has a round structure that is full of flavour, and it paired well with the texture and taste of the eggplant in the baba ghanoush. Right: 30-second Saffron Poached Spot Prawn, paired with Château L’Arnaude Nuit Blanche ($27.99). This rich salmon coloured wine had floral and fruity aromas and notes, and paired really well with the spot prawn, but for me it was a bit too acidic on its own.
Above: Albacore Tuna with Wakame Salad, paired with Cuvée Marina Rosé 2013 ($29.99). With a unique bottle that resembles a spirits bottle, this wine has a medium body with plenty of melon, orange peel and floral aromas, but it wasn’t a stand out for me, especially at its much higher price point compared to the other rosés that we tried.
Above: The standout wine for me was the Château de Brique Rosé 2013 ($19.99). It has great value at its price point, and because it’s made from 50% Syrah and 50% Cinsault grapes, it is quite full-bodied as it has more Syrah content than any of the rosés that we tried. With its full golden pink colour, it also has great texture and aromatics with a very long red fruit finish. It was paired with a skewer of rolled prosciutto, goat cheese, honeydew, and basil.
Above: I took home a signed copy of Francois and Viktorija’s newest cookbook “Provence Food and Wine, The Art of Living”. I can’t wait to try out some of the recipes in the book. With my newfound knowledge of rosés, I’ll definitely know what to look for the next time I’m at a wine or liquor store. So who wants to come over for a home-cooked wine pairing dinner?