Thanks to an abundance of red grapes, there’s a long history of producing dry rosés on the Mediterranean, which offer the fruitiness of a red wine to go with local food yet the freshness of a chilled white for summer drinking. Provence is the land of rosé par excellence, certainly in quantity but not always quality. These wines are a great match for bouillabaisse with cheesy croutons and garlicky rouille; plump seafood and red mullet, anchovy or monkfish; guinea fowl and ratatouille…

Classy rosés are made by draining the juice, or ‘bleeding’ off (the French call it saignée), after soaking with the skins of crushed red grapes for a few hours. This gives the delicate pink colour. The juice is then ‘cool’ fermented to emphasise fresh aromas and fruit, therefore finished like a white wine. Only the most serious, and more expensive styles improve with age, so buy the youngest vintage possible i.e. 2004 or 2003. The grape varieties used include Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon and Tibouren.

Nice does actually have its own local wines that you’d be hard pushed to find elsewhere: Bellet. This pretty little region lies behind the city to the northwest (the other side of the motorway) on dramatic slopes in the foothills of the Alps, and is easily explored in a morning trip. The rosés (and reds) often feature the obscure grape varieties La Folle Noire and Le Braquet, and must surely be the ultimate accompaniment to salade niçoise! Try these producers: Château de Crémat (04 92 15 12 15), Château de Bellet (04 93 37 81 57 chateaudebellet@aol.com), Les Coteaux de Bellet (04 93 29 92 99 lescoteauxdebellet@wanadoo.fr) or Clos Saint Vincent (04 92 15 12 69 clos.st.vincent@wanadoo.fr). You’ll discover all you need to know at www.vinsdebellet.com

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The Côtes de Provence (www.cotes-de-provence.fr) wine region is vast – this ‘appellation’ extends across the Var département towards Marseille to the west and Grasse to the east. The coastal strip between Cannes and Toulon, particularly the stretch parallel to the brooding Massif des Maures, delivers scenic touring, some high quality rosés (although sometimes a bit pricey) and lovely restaurants too.

Once you’re out of Cannes, the N98 road quickly becomes the Côte d’Azur’s own ‘Highway 1.’ Known as the Corniche de l’Estérel, it meanders along the cliffs between piercing blue sea and volcanic hills on your right, taking in Miramar and Agay on the way to Saint-Raphaël. En route, you’ll pass by a couple of rosé vineyards: Domaine du Grenouillet (04 94 02 01 49) and Domaine de la Tremourede (04 94 52 85 80). It’s worth taking a quick sightseeing detour to the old Roman town of Fréjus adjacent to St-Raphaël, and near here you’ll also find Domaine de Curebéasse (04 94 40 87 90 www.curebeasse.com). Get back on the N98 and enjoy the rollercoaster ride, even if you do get stuck in traffic through Sainte-Maxime.

Giving Saint-Trop a miss (so too much), the D559 brings you to Gassin and, best reached from the Ramatuelle road below (D61), one of the poshest ‘Cru Classé’ (an unofficial classification that certain producers brandish) estates Château Minuty (04 94 56 12 09) with its well-groomed gardens and sweet Napoléon III chapel. You should also pop into Château Barbeyrolles (04 94 56 33 58) next door, or take your pick from a dozen domaines dotted around the area (see www.provence-wines.com). Nearby, La Croix-Valmer is home to Château de Chausse (04 94 79 60 57) and, much more attractive perched on another hill, the village of Ramatuelle boasts four wine estates and several decent restaurants such as La Forge (04 94 79 25 56).

A good half an hour west of here along the twisty D559 coastal road is Le Lavandou, where you’ll find Domaine de l’Anglade (04 94 71 10 89 www.domainedelanglade.fr) and swanky restaurant/hotel Les Roches (Aiguebelle Plage 04 94 71 05 07) with its grand views and elevated menus. Between Bormes-les-Mimosas – where there’s no shortage of good places to eat – and Cabasson, following signs for Brégançon along a country lane (route de Léoube), you’ll come across the aristocratic wine estate Château de Brégançon (04 94 64 80 73).

On the same road, in the direction of La Londe-les-Maures, Domaine de la Sanglière (04 94 00 48 58 www.domaine-sangliere.com) is located, which produces two fine rosés. Not far from here, there are a couple of nice beaches called Pellegrin and l’Estagnol. And why not call in on M. et Mme. Chirac (if they’re there) at the high-security yet handsome Fort de Brégançon, the offshore presidential palace south of Cabasson. A few kilometres back on the N98 brings you to La Londe-les-Maures, a peaceful little town rated as one of the best wine districts that’s home to over twenty rosé producers. Château Sainte Marguerite (04 94 00 44 44 www.chateausaintemarguerite.com) is one of them, where you can also taste the wines from their son’s vineyard Château Hermitage Saint-Martin. In addition, Domaine Saint André de Figuière (04 94 00 44 70 www.figuiere-provence.com) is worth a visit.

Heading ever westwards onto Hyères and La Crau a few kms further on, are two more pockets of vineyards. A couple to look out for are Domaine de Mont Redon (04 94 66 73 86 mont.redon@liberty.surf.fr) and Château des Mesclances (04 94 66 75 07). Instead of returning to Nice, you could stay the night in Bandol and spend the next day touring some of this appellation’s top producers. Famous for their study red wines, many of them also make excellent rosés. The real luxury choice would be the magnificent Hôtel du Castellet (04 94 98 38 88) with its sumptuous restaurant; alternatively, the Marquise at Château Sainte Anne (04 94 90 35 40) does chambres d’hôte.

Richard James for Redhot magazine