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Appellation · France

Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence

The western Provençal appellation around Aix, cooler than the coast and with a longer history of serious red wine.

Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence AOCmediterraneanwarm
What to expect in the glass

Dry rosé in the Provençal mould, and firmer reds with black fruit, herbs and moderate tannin.

About Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence

The Coteaux d’Aix runs west from Aix-en-Provence towards the Rhône delta, at higher elevation and slightly cooler than the coastal appellations.

Cabernet Sauvignon is permitted here, which is unusual in the Mediterranean south, and the reds have a firmer, more structured character than most Provençal wine.

Les Baux-de-Provence, a small enclave within it, is a separate appellation with an unusually high proportion of organic and biodynamic growers.

What the name means

Legal name
Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence AOC
Type
Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée / Protégée (AOC / AOP)
Set by
INAO
Recognised
1985
Regulates
Origin, plus grape varieties, maximum yields, minimum ageing.

The delimited area, permitted varieties, maximum yields, minimum alcohol, pruning and training methods, and in many cases minimum ageing. Administered by INAO.

Grapes

Wines from here

rose

Provence rosé

The pale, dry, herb-scented rosé that set the international template for pink wine.

red

Southern Rhône blend

Grenache-led Mediterranean blends — warm, herbal and generous, and among the most reliable value in French wine.

Rules worth knowing

Confirmed in the EU register

Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence is registered as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), file number PDO-FR-A0159, protected at EU level since 1973.

Article 107 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013

Specification published: Official Journal C 83, 13.03.2020 · Official Journal

Only the rules that change what to expect in the glass or on the label. WineHQ does not reproduce production specifications, and each entry carries the date it was last checked because appellation rules change.

The designation is confirmed above. WineHQ has not read this appellation’s production specification, so it publishes no yields, ageing minima or permitted-variety lists for it — those come from the document linked above, not from a summary of it.

What to eat, and how to serve it

Derived from this region’s signature styles. Each is listed separately, because a region does not have one serving temperature.

Provence rosé

Serve at 8–11°C (fridge cold).

Try with grilled chicken, grilled salmon or mozzarella.

Southern Rhône blend

Serve at 15–17°C (cellar cool).

Try with beef stew, lamb chops or steak and ale pie.

Where to go next

Places worth trying if you like this one — neighbours, rivals, and the obvious step across.

  • Côtes de Provence — The appellation behind most of the pale dry rosé that reshaped what the world drinks in summer.
  • Ventoux — Vineyards on the slopes below Mont Ventoux, higher and cooler than the Rhône plain, and increasingly interesting for it.

Sources

Sources consulted