Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All Vintages
Fleur de Mer represents the rolling hills of Provence filled with vineyards and lavender that unfold alongside the sea and permeate the air with tranquil aromas. Fleur de Mer is a celebration of Provence and is evocative of the region’s distinctive charming blend of vineyards, gardens, and coastline.
The grapes for Fleur de Mer are grown in France’s A.O.C. Côtes de Provence, in what they call the “golden triangle” between Cuers, Pierrefeu and Puget Ville. Most growers here focus almost exclusively on Rosé wines. Provence has been making Rosé style wines for 2,600 years, tracing back to before the Roman Empire. Today, Fleur de Mer is made by Winemaker Florian Lacroux, who builds on this long tradition by partnering with a traditional grower’s co-operative with more than 50 years of experience.
Cotes de Provence is an extensive but valuable appellation that includes vineyards bordering the main Provencal appellations. Its sites vary from subalpine hills, which receive the cooling effects of the mountains to the north, to the coastal St-Tropez, a region mainly influenced by the warm Mediterranean sunshine.
Here the focus is on quality rosé, as it defines four fifths of the region’s wines. Following in the rosé footsteps, a lot of new effort is going into the region’s red production as well. A new generation has turned its focus on high quality Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Carignan. Cotes de Provence white wines, which represent a miniscule part of the region as far as volume, are nonetheless worthy of consideration and can include any combination of Clairette, Semillon, Ugni Blanc and Vermentino.
Whether it’s playful and fun or savory and serious, most rosé today is not your grandmother’s White Zinfandel, though that category remains strong. Pink wine has recently become quite trendy, and this time around it’s commonly quite dry. Since the pigment in red wines comes from keeping fermenting juice in contact with the grape skins for an extended period, it follows that a pink wine can be made using just a brief period of skin contact—usually just a couple of days. The resulting color depends on grape variety and winemaking style, ranging from pale salmon to deep magenta.