The Spirit of Le Sud
by Anthony Lynch
Lavender fields in Provence
© Gail Skoff
Lunch at Domaine de Marquiliani
© Gail Skoff
Alain Pascal’s catch of the day
© Gail Skoff
“I often add flavor to grilled foods by spicing things up with a simple rub or marinade. Gentle but clear spicing enhances rather than covers up the meat. If you want to add garlic, slice it thinly and rub it on a few hours before grilling. Use good sea salt, and sprinkle it on just before grilling, or after.” —Chef Christopher Lee
Lavender fields in Provence
© Gail Skoff
Lunch at Domaine de Marquiliani
© Gail Skoff
Alain Pascal’s catch of the day
© Gail Skoff
“I often add flavor to grilled foods by spicing things up with a simple rub or marinade. Gentle but clear spicing enhances rather than covers up the meat. If you want to add garlic, slice it thinly and rub it on a few hours before grilling. Use good sea salt, and sprinkle it on just before grilling, or after.” —Chef Christopher Lee
The Spirit of Le Sud
by Anthony Lynch
Defining the “South of France” is not as easy as one might expect. After all, everything is relative: Parisians may feel they’ve reached the South as soon as they hit Lyon, but to residents of Provence, Lyon may as well be the North Pole. Having made the drive from Burgundy to Provence many times, I have formed my own opinion of where the border lies. Everything changes right around Montélimar: gray skies open up to reveal watercolor blues. The sun shines brighter, the air feels lighter, and olive trees, cypresses, and lavender fields begin to dot the landscape. Bienvenue dans le Sud!
From a wine perspective, the South consists of the southern Rhône Valley, Provence, the Languedoc-Roussillon, and Corsica. These are the French regions where the climate, vegetation, and, of course, the people have a Mediterranean accent. Grape varieties that would not ripen farther north are at home here, creating wines shaped by generous sunshine, fragrant herbs that grow wild on rugged hillsides, and winds such as Provence’s mistral, the Languedoc’s tramontane, and Corsica’s libecciu.
The wines of southern France are ideally suited to summertime. Crisp rosés and aromatic whites, often produced in privileged sites along the coast, are the ultimate warm-weather refreshers, perfect for the vibrant flavors of summer produce, light seafood dishes, and apéritifs that extend past nightfall. The South’s reds, on the other hand, boast robust flavors that are a natural match for fare cooked over fire. You can even put your bottle in an ice bucket, because being refreshed and having a good time is more important than following wine’s arbitrary and outdated rules.
Of course, accurately describing the wines of the South is nearly as difficult as defining the region itself. The area consists of countless great terroirs, from the stunning sea cliffs of Cassis to the craggy granite outcrops of northwest Corsica, without forgetting the Rhône’s endlessly stony plateaus or Collioure’s dramatic schist terraces in the beautiful coastal enclave of French Catalonia. To drink le Sud is to inhale its Mediterranean air, to feel the warmth of its rays, and to be overcome with a sense of well-being that is a trademark of these parts.
Grilling season begins! Click to read Chef Christopher Lee’s hot takes on flame-kissed summer cooking.
Wines In The Collection
Maxime Magnon France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Just different and obscure enough to deliver the thrill of introducing someone to a gorgeous wine that is familiar, but new.
Domaine Giacometti France | Corsica
Not quite Rhône-like and not quite Corsican, this has the best of both worlds, with plenty of palate-staining black fruit to boot.
Château Fontanès France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Maybe it’s the biodynamic farming, but these wines always seem to have an extra gear when it comes to aromatics and sheer deliciousness.
Domaine Hauvette France | Provence
Biodynamically farmed Roussanne, Clairette, and Marsanne from rocky limestone in Van Gogh's Provence.
Antoine-Marie Arena France | Corsica
A beautiful example of Biancu Gentile, an heirloom white grape revived from near-extinction by Arena in the 1990s.
Domaine Ludovic Engelvin France | Languedoc-Roussillon
At once similarly saline and nutty as vin jaune or sherry, but also singular and standalone in its notes of watermelon flesh and rind.
Clos Canarelli France | Corsica
This brooding amphora-aged red is a tribute to ancient Corsican wines, as they were produced in Roman times.
Jean-Baptiste Arena France | Corsica
Lightly golden in color, it conjures up a day spent in the sun: seabreezes and ripe honeydew, including its subtle, savory rind.
Clos Saint-Joseph France | Provence
A single barrel was produced of this delicate, peppery, low-alcohol red from a forgotten grape variety. Serve chilled.
Domaine de la Tour du Bon France | Provence
This Tour du Bon rouge, with its juicy nose and bright, crunchy fruit, its mouthwatering acidity and peppery verve, is particularly elegant.
Domaine Giacometti France | Corsica
This white, raised in demi-muids with malolactic fermentation, flamboyantly shows off the affinity of ripe Vermentinu grapes with a judicious use of wood.
Domaine de Fontsainte France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Hailing from the rugged and windswept hills of Corbières, which teem with garrigue and olive groves, La Demoiselle delivers a glorious taste of the South.
Yves Leccia France | Corsica
Leccia's earthy, delicious island-mountain wine is fun, accessible and pairs with anything from fish stew to pasta to lounging in the park.
Antoine Arena France | Corsica
Golden ripe Vermentinu berries are responsible for this fleshy, succulent dry white.
Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux France | Southern Rhône
A relatively rare beast, Serge’s blanc is a ripe, honey-infused cornucopia of fruit.
Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux France | Southern Rhône
The flavors are mostly deep and dark—stones, licorice, black olive, and blackberry—but the frame is lithe.
Domaine de la Tour du Bon France | Provence
Soulful and slightly wild, but beautifully balanced, this rouge has an irresistible notes of garrigue.
Domaine Leon Barral France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Searching for something a bit funky to enliven your jaded palate? Look no further and prepare for an experience like none other.
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Just different and obscure enough to deliver the thrill of introducing someone to a gorgeous wine that is familiar, but new.
France | Corsica
Not quite Rhône-like and not quite Corsican, this has the best of both worlds, with plenty of palate-staining black fruit to boot.
France | Southern Rhône
This is about as quaffable as the region’s rouges get.
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Maybe it’s the biodynamic farming, but these wines always seem to have an extra gear when it comes to aromatics and sheer deliciousness.
France | Provence
Biodynamically farmed Roussanne, Clairette, and Marsanne from rocky limestone in Van Gogh's Provence.
France | Southern Rhône
A dry sparkler made exclusively from Clairette.
France | Corsica
A beautiful example of Biancu Gentile, an heirloom white grape revived from near-extinction by Arena in the 1990s.
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
At once similarly saline and nutty as vin jaune or sherry, but also singular and standalone in its notes of watermelon flesh and rind.
France | Corsica
This brooding amphora-aged red is a tribute to ancient Corsican wines, as they were produced in Roman times.
France | Corsica
Lightly golden in color, it conjures up a day spent in the sun: seabreezes and ripe honeydew, including its subtle, savory rind.
France | Provence
A single barrel was produced of this delicate, peppery, low-alcohol red from a forgotten grape variety. Serve chilled.
France | Provence
This Tour du Bon rouge, with its juicy nose and bright, crunchy fruit, its mouthwatering acidity and peppery verve, is particularly elegant.
France | Corsica
This white, raised in demi-muids with malolactic fermentation, flamboyantly shows off the affinity of ripe Vermentinu grapes with a judicious use of wood.
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Hailing from the rugged and windswept hills of Corbières, which teem with garrigue and olive groves, La Demoiselle delivers a glorious taste of the South.
France | Corsica
Leccia's earthy, delicious island-mountain wine is fun, accessible and pairs with anything from fish stew to pasta to lounging in the park.
France | Corsica
Golden ripe Vermentinu berries are responsible for this fleshy, succulent dry white.
France | Southern Rhône
A relatively rare beast, Serge’s blanc is a ripe, honey-infused cornucopia of fruit.
France | Southern Rhône
The flavors are mostly deep and dark—stones, licorice, black olive, and blackberry—but the frame is lithe.
France | Provence
Soulful and slightly wild, but beautifully balanced, this rouge has an irresistible notes of garrigue.
France | Languedoc-Roussillon
Searching for something a bit funky to enliven your jaded palate? Look no further and prepare for an experience like none other.
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