Coteaux Varois (formally Coteaux Varois en Provence) is a key appellation of the Provence wine region in the far south-east of France. It was introduced in March 1993 as a complement to the Cotes de Provence title created 16 years earlier. It covers the vines of 28 communes north of Toulon, essentially constituting the western third of the Var administrative department.
Coteaux Varois wines are red, white and rose, although the latter is the dominant color (as it is almost everywhere in Provence). The roses, which represent about 85% of total output, are made mostly from the same grape varieties as the reds – namely the classic southern French cocktail of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsaut. The cepages accessoires (accessory varieties) also permitted in these wines are the traditional Provencal grapes Tibouren and Carignan. Tibouren is renowned for the spice it brings to roses, whereas the less-favored Carignan was the subject of hefty culling in the early years of the 21st century. Cabernet Sauvignon, brought to Provence from Bordeaux in the 1960s, is also allowed in small quantities.
Coteaux Varois white wines constitute only a tiny percentage of the appellation's annual production. They are produced from strictly controlled proportions of Vermentino (known locally as Rolle) and Semillon, each required to represent 30% of Coteaux Varois whites. A respectable 25% of the remainder is taken up by Ugni Blanc, leaving just 15% for the local varieties Clairette and Grenache Blanc. This demonstrates a shift away from the unstructured, acid-lacking wines generally associated with Provence as a whole.
A key characteristic of the Coteaux Varois vineyards is their location north of the Massif de Saint-Beaume, a 22-mile (35-km) chain of hills that runs south-west to north-east just behind the Mediterranean coastline, peaking at 3775ft (1150m). The presence of the lower – but more extensive – Massif des Maures to the south-east is also important to the climate here. These coastal hills significantly reduce the moderating effects of the Mediterranean climate, resulting in cooler growing conditions than those that prevail in hotter coastal regions such as Bandol and Cassis.
