Provence is ground-zero for bone-dry rose, and as such, it's often easy to overlook the other wines from the region. Made from white grape Vermentino (or Rolle as it known locally), this is a beautifully perfumed, complex, citrusy white wine of medium body that partners perfectly with most seafood dishes. The nose is an intriguing mix of aged Riesling and Chardonnay - notes of beeswax, cream, honey, and vanilla are mixed with pear, melon and a hint of saffron. The palate has some zippiness but also has a roundness and a softness to it that is really appealing. Complex, dry and really versatile at the dining table, this is a great introduction to the white wines of Provence.

Head down to the south of France, and you’ll find yourself in some of the finest wine country on earth. Quite why this part of the world is so successful and prodigiously inspiring when it comes to winemaking is a bit of a mystery. Is it the thousands of years of history? Are the soils really that much better than elsewhere? Is there something in the water? It’s hard to put your finger on what continues to give these regions such distinction, but it’s most probably a combination of all the above, plus the fact that here, expertise, skills, techniques, and approaches have been handed down for generations, ensuring that the wines just get better and better as the decades and centuries roll on. You get a real sense of that at Chateau Riotor, a beautiful winery in Provence which oversees some truly stunning southern French vineyards, and which consistently brings out bottles which not only do justice to the region, but which also get people sitting up and taking notice. No mean feat in a part of the world where tradition reigns absolutely supreme. The Chateau is owned and run by Jean and Henri Abeille, direct descendants of Henri Plantin - who was the legendary founder of Chateau Mont-Redon and the man who helped Chateauneuf-du-Pape become such a world-beating appellation. If anyone has quality winemaking in their blood, it’s surely the Abeille brothers, whose work with Vermentino grapes in their corner of Provence is truly sensational. They work with vines which edge on a hundred years old, sheltered from the sea breezes by pine trees and thickets, and they are always sure to keep interference and intervention to an absolute minimum. Why? Because they know that with grapes this good, and with land this respected worldwide, you need to let it take centre stage. The results are rarely less than spectacular, and Provence’s reputation remains among the loftiest in the world.