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PROVENCE: GEOGRAPHY MATTERS
“Provence” has more efficacy as a "brand" than as a place. One rarely if ever hears any residents of the Vaucluse say that they live in "Provence." The word is heard frequently in its adjectival form: provençal.
As geography, the term "Provence" suffers abuse. The French consider contemporary 'Provence' to take in three administrative department:
- Vaucluse
- Bouches-du-Rhône
- Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Confusion pops up due to the administrative region PACA: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.
When "Provence" is employed for the department of the Var (Toulon, St, Tropez) or the department of the Alpes-Maritime (Côte d'Azur) or even the five departments of the Languedoc-Roussillon, it is the "brand" asserting itself.
This is a regional distinction that Peter Mayle buys into 100% in his book Provence A-Z. In fact, if Mayle had been 'geographically-correct,' his iconic best seller would have been titled "A Year in the Luberon."
The Luberon and the Comtat Venaissin, referred to as the “Comtat,” are the two large regions within the Vaulcuse,
Category Archives: Wine
TERROIR REDUX: THE VARIETAL WHITE WINES OF NIELS LA COUR
If you are a wine lover in search of a startling discovery and great pleasure, take a few sips of the white wines of the Domaine le Serre de Condorcet (DSC) — rich, fragrant and complex vintages of golden hues … Continue reading
LUBERON: FIVE WINNING WINERIES
The Luberon wine appellation is in a sense the orphan of the Vaucluse. The private estates, which account for only twenty percent of the appellation’s production, do not attract the attention of wine raters that is accorded the other wine … Continue reading