Corsica is also known as the Isle of beauty, and it’s easy to understand why once you set your foot on the island. The wine growers have influence both from Italy and from France. The Mediterranean island is actually one of the oldest wine growing regions in the world, and already 6000 years ago there were vines there. However, the island has seen quite a few ups and downs, for example when Napoleon Bonaparte ruled the island and started allowing the islanders to sell their wines without taxes, the industry had a boost – which was destroyed by disease, the first world war and emigration. In the 70′s the island saw the French-Algerian immigrants giving the wine industry a new boost, which was soon halted by new regulations – again to be overcome by the locals, who are now seeing a growth in fine wine production.

Most of the Corsican vineyards are situated along the coast, making it a great place to visit if you like to combine wine tasting with relaxing days on the beach, or maybe take the sailboat for a visit to the island. Besides the sea, I would recommend going to Patrimonio for a sample of wine at Domaine Orenga de Gaffory. No matter where you go on the island, you will most probably come across some excellent local rosé wines to try out – whether in the hills or down by the coast.

I found a really inspiring video of views from Corsica to share with you:

Sea, sun, art, museums, fruit, vegetables and wine is just a start to what you find in the Provence region. Being close to Nice and Marseille by the Mediterranean coast, there are many types of places to visit if you want a more varied trip. Of course, since I don’t want to bore you with writing about the French riviera, beautiful beaches and valleys, since this is all about the wine places.

Since the 1980′s, the region has seen a surge of people coming in from other countries and French regions, and among the wine growers you have a mix of Germans, English, Scottish, Belgians, Dutch, Swedes, Danes and Americans beside the native French – probably a more diverse environment than any other in the country, which actually led to vast improvements in the taste of wine made here. The immigrants also brought an environment friendly view to the local wine growing, which is also noticed in the quality and character of the wines made here. In Provence you will find a great deal of Rosé wine – with 80% of production and great popularity among the tourists of the Riviera. However, the reds are still the heroes of the region, with Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cabernet Sauvignon being popular varietals.

One of the most beautiful landscapes to visit in Provence is Les Alpilles, where the white mountains are cut through by valleys and form an amazing contrast to the azure blue sky. The vineyards are surrounded by pine trees and wild herbal flora, suitable for an area warmer and more moist than other places in Provence – which in turn leads to the wines maturing faster than elsewhere. One of the first bio-dynamic vineyards was created here by Noël Michelin in 1968.

If you want to see a place deemed as one of the few in the world to be almost perfect for making wine, then you should go to Bandol, which was one of the first wine growing areas on the northern side of the Mediterranean, dating back to 600 BC.