Coteaux varois en Provence

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Accessory grape varieties

Varieties of interest

Terroir

• The geographical area belongs to the natural region of "limestone Provence", ringed by the hills of the Toulon area and the Sainte-Baume range, the Saint-Quinis ridge, the Canjuers plateaus and Mont Aurélien.
• The relief is pronounced, rising to between 600 metres and over 1000 metres of altitude for the Sainte-Baume massif, over a territory clustered around Brignoles in the Var.
• The geology combines clay-limestone folds oriented east to west, alternating with areas of "gravettes" and flint, along with a high plateau of Triassic formations where the Var's main watercourses rise.
• The altitude of the vineyards, ranging from 350 to 500 metres for the highest plots, and the limestone massifs that block maritime influences, give the Mediterranean climate a more continental character, with rainfall of 700 to 900 millimetres per year and average temperatures around 13°C.
• The winegrowing area is established on decalcified clay subsoils and on the piedmont of limestone slopes covered with stony colluvium, with narrow valleys and distinct basins at varying altitudes.
• The vineyard is distinguished from the neighbouring Côtes de Provence and Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence appellations by its soils, which are only limestone or clay-limestone, and by its cooler climate.

• The appellation d'origine contrôlée was recognized on 26 March 1993 under the name "Coteaux varois", then renamed "Coteaux varois en Provence" on 2 August 2005.
• About a dozen grape varieties have been progressively selected, including Cinsault, Grenache noir and Grenache blanc, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Tibouren, Carignan, Clairette, Ugni blanc and Vermentino, locally called Rolle.
• The continental situation of the area led farmers to live self-sufficiently, growing vines, cereals and olive trees within the same plot, creating a characteristic landscape of oullières.

• The rosé wines show a clean, vivid pink colour with aromas of fresh fruit and often red fruit, sometimes enriched with spicy or garrigue notes.
• The red wines, mainly blended from Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, are generous and structured with rich, silky tannins, and evolve from fruitiness towards scents of spice and garrigue.
• The red wines are traditionally recommended with game and venison and pair perfectly with Provençal daubes, hare or wild boar stews. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)
• The dry white wines, made mainly from Vermentino, are delicately scented and show a good balance between freshness and roundness.

• The alternation of cool nights and warm days in summer enhances the quality and ripening of polyphenols before harvest, giving rise to the richness and finesse of the red wines' tannins.
• The vineyard is under the influence of the Mistral, a violent, cold and dry north wind, which keeps it healthy throughout its growing cycle by limiting fungal diseases, notably after the August storms.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in France

Sources

• Product specification (BO Agri, PDF) — approved 8 juin 2026, JORF 11 juin 2026
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — CIVP