Who hasn't experienced the Provence rosé syndrome? You don't know it? Then you have never been to the South of France on holiday. Let us take you there.
There you are in the village square somewhere near St-Rémy de Provence. Seated at a bistro, you watch with amusement a game of pétanque taking place in the warm heat of a late afternoon. Since pastis is not your cup of tea, you nonchalantly order a glass of chilled rosé. The first sip is a marvel! The salmon-pink liquid provides a wonderful sensation of freshness. The singing accent of the locals sounds like a sweet melody to your ears. A light breeze picks up, pleasantly cooling the atmosphere. You tell yourself that life is definitely very beautiful and you order a second glass. You repeat the experience every evening at aperitif time and, when it comes time to pack your bags, you tuck a few bottles of this wonderful beverage inside, promising yourself to continue this habit once you are back home.
So, with your mind still in Provence, you invite your friends over for a post-holiday aperitif. But already the first sip surprises you. It is missing that little something that made it grand on the Provençal village square. By the second glass, your neighbor, originally from German-speaking Switzerland, explains to you that Fendant drunk in Valais is much better than that tasted on the other side of the Sarine. You do not finish the third glass and go to the cellar to look for a bottle of Fendant, following your neighbor's advice. Before the bottles of Provençal rosé end up in a sangria, you try the experience again, which proves to be just as disappointing.
Why does this charming rosé, so appreciated during the holidays, disappoint so much back home? Let us attempt an oenological explanation. Today, wines undergo physical and biological stabilization before being bottled to make them perfectly unalterable and balanced. Thus, the quality will not be damaged during the journey in the burning trunk of your car. Therefore, it is by no means an oenological deficiency.
Failing to find a scientific answer, let us lean instead towards the thesis of absolute happiness. The kind one feels after finally letting go of daily worries, once settled on the terrace of a bistro sipping a vintage from the region visited. Even the "smallest" wine will inevitably taste delicious because everything is enchanting, captivating, attractive, and pleasant.
