Provence is where modern dry rosé took shape, made mostly from Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah and prized for its pale colour and delicate red-fruit character — a style now copied worldwide. Away from rosé, the coastal appellation of Bandol stands out for serious, age-worthy reds built on Mourvèdre, grown on limestone and clay slopes facing the Mediterranean. The climate throughout is classically Mediterranean: hot, dry summers moderated by the Mistral wind.

Key grapes: Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvèdre