Welcome to The Med:
The South of France
Rolling vineyards, fields of fresh produce and the alluring Cote d'Azur – it's easy to see why our team of beer, wine and spirit developers were inspired by the flavours and colours of The Med for our summer range. Let us take you on a taste trip, winding around the coast and showcasing the best of each region as we go. Corkscrews and glasses at the ready as we hit our first stop: The South of France
A taste of Provence and beyond
Head to the coast in France and you'll find cool sea breezes and the famous lavender fields of Provence. You'll also find a host of exceptional wine growers and producers. Our in-house wine specialist, Elizabeth Kelly has picked her three favourite bottles from this stretch of sunny land.
Coteaux Varois en Provence
A gold medal winner at this year's Decanter awards, this refreshing, strawberry-scented blend of cinsault, grenache and syrah is produced in France's original rosé region: Var, Provence. Made for sipping on lazy summer weekends, serve it up ice-cold for a picnic or with some seafood.
Picpoul de Pinet
A great alternative to sauvignon blanc, Picpoul de Pinet is a favourite with Languedoc locals, who drink it with Bouzigues oysters. M&S winemaker Belinda Kleinig and local producer Bertrand Cherel selected grapes from Florensac, where the cool sea breezes temper the hot sun to create an excellent balance of flavour.
Les Voiles de Paulilles Collioure
The vineyards of Les Clos de Paulilles overlook the ocean in the small French-Catalan coastal area of Collioure in the Pyrenees foothills. Kleinig worked with local producer Edouard Guerin to source this ripe red wine's grapes from sun-baked schistous sites, where the fruit is kept fresh by strong Mediterranean sea winds.
As seen in
French Wines
Get in to the Gallic spirit
and discover our full
range from France
French wine tips from the expert
Our very own Master of Wine Emma Dawson gives us her top tips for enjoying French wines
- If you like sauvignon, try a few lesser-known French whites that share its delicate herbal character like picpoul de pinet or muscadet.
- For the softest, fruitiest reds of France, look to the warm regions of the south with blends rich in grenache like Côtes du Rhône or Corbières.
- Chablis and macon are both made with chardonnay grapes, but it's the northerly climate of Chablis that gives it a crisp, mineral expression, while Macon is a warmer area and has slightly riper, more peachy fruit. Both are unoaked.
- Try chilling the lighter French reds for the perfect summer tipple – my favourites are beaujolais or fleurie.
- Chablis has a slightly salty mineral tinge which makes it an amazing match for seafood.
The best of the rest
We couldn't help ourselves and strayed inland to show off our other French favourites
Macon Villages
A fresh and fruity white made from 100 per cent chardonnay exclusively for Marks & Spencer by Georges Brichon of Cave de Prissé in south Burgundy.
Les Ruettes Sancerre
Made in the Loire valley, this exclusive 100 per cent sauvgnon blanc combines classic characteristics with modern, fruity flavours and minerality.
Fleurie
A special 'cru' wine of Beaujolais, fleurie is smooth and incredibly food friendly. This was made exclusively for us by Paul Sapin from 100 per cent gamay grapes.
Miraval Rosé
Quite possibly the most famous rosé in the world, this A-list wine is made on the Château Miraval estate in a remote part of Provence and was bought by Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt in 2011.
FOOD INSPIRATION
Homegrown talent
Get to grips with this booming homegrown industry and discover more about the vineyards we work with.
Wine from your holidays
Transport yourself back to the taste of evenings spent sipping as the sun sets with our guide to some of Europe's best wines.
