Vitipôle Provence Rosé: A Strategic Hub Takes Shape
A shared centre in Vidauban to advance rosé excellence and ecological transition in Provence.
In the Provençal landscape, where rosé has become both a cultural marker and an economic pillar, the laying of a first stone can carry more than symbolic weight. On 19 December in Vidauban, institutional leaders and representatives of the wine sector formally launched the construction of the future Vitipôle Provence rosé, a project designed to concentrate expertise, research and governance around a shared ambition: producing the world’s finest rosés while meeting the demands of ecological transition.
After nearly five years marked by delays and administrative complexities, the project has now entered its operational phase. From early February 2026, construction will begin on a 2.32-hectare site, with delivery scheduled for the summer of 2027. The total investment reaches €8.4 million excluding tax, reflecting both the scale of the initiative and the collective commitment behind it.
A Concentration of Expertise
The Vitipôle is conceived as a genuinely collective structure. Within a single site, it will bring together the Syndicat des Côtes de Provence, the Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins de Provence, the Centre du Rosé, the Institut Français de la Vigne et du Vin, the Syndicat des Vignerons du Var, and a local branch of the Chambre d’agriculture du Var.
Three buildings, totalling 2,200 square metres, will structure the site. The largest, at 950 m², will house the core of the Vitipôle Provence Rosé: an experimental cellar, laboratories, a tasting room and offices for the technical bodies of the sector. Nearby, a 570 m² building will host the Var Chamber of Agriculture’s services, covering viticulture but also arboriculture, farm diversification, installation and transmission, and legal support. A third space, the 630 m² Fabienne Joly building, is designed as a flexible environment for meetings, knowledge transfer and collaborative work, with the explicit aim of welcoming innovative partners and enterprises.
Research, Practice and the Vineyard
Beyond offices and laboratories, the project integrates a 0.5-hectare experimental vineyard, jointly managed by the Chamber of Agriculture and the Centre du Rosé. This parcel will serve as a living laboratory, allowing research to remain closely connected to viticultural reality. In a region where climate pressure is increasingly tangible, such proximity between experimentation and practice is central to the project’s philosophy.
Financing reflects this collective approach. The Chamber of Agriculture of the Var contributes €1.2 million in self-financing, while €2.9 million comes directly from the occupants of the Vitipôle. The remaining funds are provided by public authorities, notably the State, the Département and the Région, underlining the strategic importance attributed to rosé wine within Provence’s agricultural and economic fabric.
A Long-Term Vision for Provence Rosé
More than a new building complex, the Vitipôle Provence Rosé represents a structural response to the challenges facing Provençal rosé today. By uniting technical expertise, interprofessional coordination and applied research, it aims to reinforce quality standards while accelerating agroecological transition. The ambition is not framed in terms of volume or marketing reach, but in precision, sustainability and long-term coherence.
For Provence, whose identity is inseparable from rosé, this new centre signals a maturation of the model: one in which excellence is pursued through shared knowledge, measured innovation and a clear-eyed engagement with environmental realities. When the doors open in 2027, the Vitipôle is set to become not just a hub of activity, but a reference point for how a great wine region organises its future.