As many of you know, I was once a cycle tour guide in Europe (which was the genesis of this blog). The company where I worked for all those years, Blue Marble Travel, has shaped my life in countless ways but sadly no longer exists. A couple months ago, I was back in France, riding one of those Blue Marble routes, but not as a guide; this time I was riding solo.

My visit to Aix-en-Provence was brief (just short of 48 hours), but it was jam-packed with events. First was a wine tasting at La Cave du Cours along the Cours Mirabeau, the main avenue in the center of Aix, then dinner with a representative from Méditerannée à Vélo (more on that later).

The following morning was the big tasting of thirty (which turned out to be over seventy) rosé wines from IGP Méditerannée, followed by lunch at Château La Coste, and then a visit to Les Quatre Tours for a visit to a few vineyards and then another wine tasting (again, more on that later).

I was due to leave early the following morning, so there was little time to visit Aix, which was too bad as it is a magnificent city, perhaps the quintessential Provençale town. I had visited the town before, as part of my previous life as a cycling tour guide, but it had certainly been a few years.

Arriving in town, right around lunch time, I headed to the city center and the centuries-old Belfry, adjacent to City Hall, where there are a bevy of restaurants, bustling with tourists and locals alike.

Since I was determined to lose weight on the trip, I opted for yet another salad, but as you can see from the size of it, I am not sure it was all that useful in trying to shed a few pounds.

I tasted but three wines at the tasting, but it lasted for over an hour and a half. I have to say, it was one of the best tastings I have ever had, and I got to practice my French to boot!

2023 Domaine Des Masques Essentielle Rosé, IGP Méditerrannée, France: Retail 13€ (~$15). From altitude (the vineyard is on the slopes of the Montagne Saint Victoire). IGP Méditerranée. Lively, fruity, light. But also surprisingly rich and layered. Paired with a young comté. Could have handled a stronger cheese in my opinion. Excellent. 92 Points.

2023 Maison Saint Aix AIX Blanc, Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence, France: 100% Rolle. The first vintage of this white for the ubiquitous producer of rosé. Rosé sales have stagnated and even reduced over the last decade in Provence while white production has increased. Tropical and citrus on the nose. Lovely. Racy and mineral and floral, almost in a Viognier kind of way. Pairs well with the goat cheese that was served even though I do not like goat cheese at all. Excellent. 91 Points.

2016 Château Volterra Rouge Cuvée Kassandra, Côtes de Provence, France: Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon. A Russian businessman bought the domain in 2022 and wanted to make it a horse farm, and ripped out all the vines many of which were 80-96 years old. Dark in color with rich aromas and fairly powerful in the glass. Whoa. Rich, powerful, and loaded with flavors and weight. Big wine. But short of huge. Paired with Camembert also a big, powerful entity and the marriage really works. Fabulous. Outstanding. 94 Points.

As many of the readers of this space know, while I am far from an “expert” when it comes to rosé wines, I have tasted my fair share of them through both personal consumption and my annual “World’s Largest Blind Tasting of American True Rosé” (which will have its ninth iteration this May).

While my tastings focus on American pink wines, today’s tasting will obviously be of their French counterparts, specifically those produced under the Méditerranée Indication Géographique Protégée (IGP) designation.

So what is it like to taste 71 rosés? Well, there is no easy way to answer that question, but here is a video, just over a minute long, that tries to convey the chore.

Here are the next dozen wines of the tasting, I will do my best to get up the remainder over the next few days or so…

2023 Les Quatre Tours Gaudina, IGP Méditerranée Rosé, France: Retail ~$12. Caladoc, Grenache Noir, Syrah, Merlot. Medium to light color. Great nose of red berry fruit and melon. Nice. Nice fruit and good tartness on the palate, this is just a lovely wine. Excellent. 92 Points.

2023 Les Quatre Tours Domaine la Rigouline, IGP Méditerranée Rosé, France: Retail $15. Cabernet Franc, Merlot. Medium to dark color, with strawberry rhubarb pie on the nose and a palate to match. Great fruit and ample tartness. Very Nice. Excellent. 90 Points.

2023 Les Quatre Tours, IGP Méditerranée Rosé, France: Retail ~$15. Cabernet Franc, Sciaccarello. Medium color. Salty, mineral, slate nose. Even a tad funky. The palate sees some red fruit but also plenty of salinity. Definitely a good wine here and it works. Excellent. 91 Points.

2023 Maison Safranier 10°5 La Folie Safranier, IGP Méditerranée Rosé, France: Retail ~$25. Dumb, stupid bottle. Heavy as you-know-what. Medium color., with a wild strawberry and salty nose. Subtle fruit with good tartness on the palate. Fine. But that bottle is ridiculous and will never fit in a wine rack. Very Good. 89 Points.

2023 Estandon Insolence, IGP Méditerranée Rosé, France: Retail ~$20. Another dumb bottle. Grenache, Syrah. Medium color. Classic nose of subtle red fruit and a bit of salinity. The classic nature continues on the palate. Wonderful balance between fruit and tartness. Killer finish. Outstanding. 94 Points.

2023 Estandon Mosaïque, IGP Méditerranée Rosé, France: Retail ~$20. The parade of dumb bottles continues. Under Screwcap. Medium color. Another classic nose with more fruit than salt but also a slight meaty component. Nice and tart but the fruit is a bit more subtle. Still, the finish is solid if a tad hot. Very Good. 89 Points.

2023 Estandon Brise Maritime, IGP Méditerranée Rosé, France: Retail ~$16. Yet another Dumb Bottle from Estandon. Medium color and this is the fruitiest nose of the three from the producer but more tree fruit than red berry. Subtle fruit on the palate with acidity coming in on the mid palate. Nice. Excellent. 90 Points.

2023 Cellier des Princes L’Ombre des Parasols, IGP Méditerranée Rosé, France: Retail ~$16. 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15% Cinsault. Medium to dark color. Under Screwcap. Rich and lovely nose of ripe red berry fruit. The palate has nice fruit and the acidity tries to keep up, finally getting there at the finish. Very Good. 89 Points.

2023 Cellier des Princes Hērosē, IGP Méditerranée Rosé, France: Retail ~$18. Medium color. Peach and a touch of smoke in the glass with plenty of fruit on the palate but lacking some zing. Still, very nice. Very Good. 89 Points.

2023 Château du Seuil Auro Rousso, IGP Méditerranée Rosé, France: Retail ~$20. Caladoc, Ugni Blanc. Light in color and in fruit aromas. Salty, meaty nose with some peach perhaps? Definitely salty on the palate with average fruit. Fine. Very Good. 88 Points.

2023 Château de L’Escarelle Rumeurs, IGP Méditerranée Rosé, France: Retail ~$16. Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault. Light in color. Salty and peach aromas on the nose. It takes a while for the fruit to show up on the palate, but eventually, some ripe peach comes through with a decent zing. Good finish. Excellent. 90 Points.

2023 Cuisine en Famille Les bras m’en tombent, IGP Méditerranée Rosé, France:Retail ~$18. Grenache, Cinsault. Light to medium color with peach and some smoke coming through on the nose. Good fruit on the palate, but not enough tartness at least initially. Medium finish. Very Good. 89 Points.