Wines of Provence works to provide transparency to consumers who seek wines of guaranteed authenticity and quality.
New York, NY, December 09, 2020 – For over ten years, Wines of Provence have enjoyed international success, notoriety, and increasing market value. This boom is a result of the joint efforts of Centre du Rosé and Provençal winegrowers and rising consumer demand for wines that provide authenticity and conviviality, values strongly represented by Wines of Provence.
Why Protect the Name “Provence”
When it comes to authenticity, the name-protected status of “Provence” is essential. This is why the Côtes de Provence Syndicate and the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de Provence (CIVP) have been working together since 2016 to rigorously defend the designation of origin “Provence” for its wines. Defending this emblematic origin is essential in order to guarantee consumers that what they are buying, and consuming is indeed an AOC wine. The Wines of Provence meet strict production conditions established by the AOC specifications, bringing not only incomparable quality to these rosés, but also authenticity and provenance.
Ongoing Name Protection Efforts
Over the last few years, some wine brands have created rosé cuvées referring to (or using) the Provence origin, even though they do not meet the requirements of the AOC. This can confuse or deceive consumers who seek authenticity and guaranteed quality and origin of the wine they drink.
With each instance of the Provence origin used without adherence to AOC requirements, the industry contacts the brands concerned, working with them to change their labels or their communication. A budget of 140,000 EUR (168,675 USD) has been dedicated to these efforts in 2020.
The 3 AOCs and the entire Provençal sector are working harder than ever to raise awareness of this important issue, hoping that the industry will support these efforts.
How to recognize the Wines of Provence?
The label must include mention of one of the following three AOCs:
About Wines of Provence
Wines of Provence, known in France as the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de Provence (CIVP), is an organization representing over 647 wineries and trade companies from the Provence region. Its mission is to promote and advance the wines of the organization’s 3 appellations, Côtes de Provence, Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence and Coteaux Varois en Provence. Members together produce 96% of Provence’s Appellation d’Origine Protégée (AOP) wines, 170M bottles in 2019. Wines of Provence is the global leader for premium rosé wine, accounting for 38% domestic and 4.2% of global rosé production. The U.S. is Wines of Provence’s first export market, 45% in volume of its exports.
