One cannot find an older wine region in France than Provence. Ancient Greeks were the first to cultivate vines along the coast of Provence and vineyards have been around since. Of course, the climate is ideal with 3,000 hours of sunshine per season, and strong air currents (the Mistral) in the Spring and Fall contribute to making this area even hotter. The varietals planted are types that thrive on sunshine such as Grenache, Shiraz/Syrah, Cinsault, Carignan and Mourvèdre. These red grapes are best consumed as rosès. This means that the grapes are pressed only slightly and the juice is left with the skins for a short maturation of a few hours to extract a sufficient amount of color. The juice is then filtered (separation from the skin) and the fermentation process starts as in regular white wine making. Rosé represents 65% of the overall wine production in the region. The rosès of Provence are dry and refreshing, with undertones of strawberry and hints of spice. They are excellent, refreshing wines for hot, ‘Mediterranean’ days.