The Rosé Research Center In Provence is Valuable to the Global Wine Industry

Provence rosé from Château de Berne and Ultimate Provence is made in a graduated lineup of styles — from easy-drinking to complex and gastronomic. The new release is available now. Credit: Jill Barth

Provençal rosé—and rosé in general—has been riding a popularity wave in recent years. While there are instances of trendy lifestyle marketing involved, many rosés are wines of quality, made by winemakers of skill and terroir of distinction. Behind them lies a secret weapon, hidden in an unassuming coral-colored building with green shutters: The Center for Rosé Research.

The Center for Rosé Research (Centre de Recherche et d’Expérimentation sur le Vin Rosé) is located in the small commune of Vidauban, situated in Provence in southeast France. Originated in 1999 as the first and only rosé research center in the world, it serves as a resource for rosé producers in Provence and around the globe. Grounded on centuries of experience held by Provençal vignerons and winemakers, the center harnesses a commitment to rosé, part of the Provençal culture for 2,600 years since the early Greeks utilized winemaking methods that resulted in pink-toned wine.

The Center for Rosé Research exists to maintain the high quality of rosé from Provence by capturing and making available scientific data regarding winemaking and wine preservation. “The center endeavors to put science and evidence behind our collective feeling that we have evolved something special,” says Jeany Cronk, proprietor of Mirabeau en Provence and member of the Council of the Wines of Provence.

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