Provence is a summer vacation paradise of gorgeous beaches, beautiful herb-covered hills, blue skies, and sunshine. And provencal rosé is famous as exactly the wine we all need to beat the summer heat.

But Provence is also a land of deep and dramatic gorges, terrifying mountainside drives, and villages perched on rocky clifftops to ward off raiders.

The Commanderie de Peyrassol embodies both faces of Provence.

Their vines are on gently rolling hills only 10 miles from the sea as the crow flies. But if you visit from the Côte d'Azure, you’ll be taking a longer drive through those hills to a site 1,000 feet up on the slopes of the Massif des Maures, between the Mediterranean and the Verdon gorge. Fittingly, for such a strategic spot, it belonged to the Knights Templar!

Peyrassol’s wines have the classic Provencal-vacation-in-a-bottle vibes. They are gloriously refreshing rosés made for summer days, whether by the water, with a meal, or just sitting in the sun. Full of pretty fruit (strawberries, watermelon, stone fruit), they're so crisp and immediately delicious you don’t really have to given them any thought.

But Peyrassol’s reputation isn’t built just on simple refreshment. They have much more Cinsault than you see in simpler Provencal rosé (especially in their higher-end wines), which brings a hint of that hilly wildness to everything they make. And their terroir is serious, with dark clay and limestone soils giving their top wines the complexity, minerality and depth that puts them in the exclusive company of superstars like Domaine Ott, making classic rosés that also have aging potential.

Everything is farmed beautifully (certified organic) and all the wines come from perfectly healthy grapes. But the winemaking further accentuates both faces – while the simpler wines are made in stainless steel with a direct press, to transmit all that crushable summery goodness, the single-vineyard “Clos” is aged in stoneware jars to bring out the breadth. Drink any of these today and it’s like a drive through those mountain passes: you get both sunshine and dramatic, stony depths. Lay the fancy ones down and the fruit will mellow and move to the background while the garrigue and saline minerality threads take center stage.

Peyrassol, Mediterranee Rose "La Croix," 2025, $22.99

This is the Domaine’s entry level wine, from fruit they grow just outside the Cotes de Provence appellation, or which they harvest with neighbors and friends. Pale pink color, with stone fruit and flowers on the nose, followed by mouth-watering citrus, peach and subtle savory note. (35% Cinsault, 35% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Caladoc)

Peyrassol, Cotes de Provence Rose "Cuvée des Commandeurs," 2025 $29.99

This is where things start to get a little more serious. A selection of their top AOC Provence terroirs, the wine looks pink and delicate, but has notes of wild berries and herbs (juniper and garrigue), with touch of spice giving dimensionality to the citrus fruit. 50% Grenache (brings that red-fruited goodness), 35% Cinsault, 15% Syrah.

Peyrassol, Chateau Peyrassol Rose, 2025 $51.99

An old-vine selection from soils rich in limestone, clay and pebbles, this has all the freshness of the other wines, but more complexity and length, with a saline framing on the finish. 50% Cinsault, 30% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre, 5% Tibouren.

Peyrassol, Cotes de Provence Rose Le Clos de Peyrassol, 2025 $89.99

Only made in the best years, the “Clos” is from a single site enclosed by a stone wall near the ancient buildings. Why bottle it on its own? Breadth and depth like none of the others. Aromas of cherry blossoms, stone, citrus, peach and pear. In the mouth it has length and subtlety as well as power, and it finishes fresh but longer than any of the other wines with salinity (again) and a faint provencal bitterness that keeps everything lively.