Drink Pink by NiceLife
You may think you like white wine, you may like red wine. But that is at home and you are not at home. You are in Provence and in Provence you drink pink.Do you recall the Sixties, Mateus rose in those funny round bottles? Pink was for people who couldn't make their mind up if they liked red or white. Or at a teenage party, a punch made up of the assorted bottles of cheap white and red wine kids had brought.
However sitting in the hot Mediterranean sun, a Salade Nicois on your table, forget what you think - go pink. Chilled pink not only taste good, more importantly, it looks good. It goes with blue sky, its uncomplicated, and it partners your salad perfectly.
In France, ordering whole bottles in a bar or restaurant can be bad for your wallet - ask simply for un verre - glass, or smarter still "un demi pichet" - 50cl , a half litre - thats a small earthenware jug into which bulk wine is poured.
The house wine is usually perfectly acceptable. If you want to impress, "Cotes de Provence" is the generic name for the middle range, the top appelations are Bandol and Bellet which will cost a lot more for not noticably better.
When shopping for wine, remember the French take their wine very seriously. A long discussion with the wine merchant is customary before buying a bottle. Debating the merits of this and that, in the process showing you know a lot about wine, then calling for his recommendation, which of course you are now honour bound to take, since he is clearly an expert not a shop assistant.
It is a matter of national pride that French wine is best - don't even dream of discussing its merits against Australian, South African or Chilean. This merely demonstrates that you you are an ignorant foreigner who doesn't know what he is talking about. And for appelations which are well known, expect to pay a lot. After all, "the best wine in the world" is hardly going to be cheap, is it?
.
