Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence

Bordered by the River Durance to the north and the Mediterranean to the south, the heart of Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence appellation is the historical town of Aix-en-Provence, to which the Romans were drawn by its nearby thermal springs. Wines have been made in this area since Roman times and were championed in the 15th century by René I of Anjou.

The appellation - Provence’s second largest after Côtes de Provence - has roughly 3,500 hectares given over to viticulture. Almost 60% of the wines produced here are red, followed by 35% rosé and 5% white, while the most important grapes are Grenache, Cinsaut and Mourvèdre. 

The climate here is Mediterranean but arid (nearby appellation Les Baux-de-Provence boasts the stunning Val d’Enfer, said to have inspired Dante’s descriptions of hell in his Inferno).