The Côte d'Azur (known in English as the French Riviera) is a sweet spot, a place you’d like to go for a vacation, honeymoon or any other reason, really. And if you were lucky enough to travel there, folks would be envious when you returned home saying, “yes, I was in the south of France.” When we conjure up an image of "the south of France," we think of Monte Carlo, and James Bond, and sporty convertibles driving along beside the beautiful blue Mediterranean.

But what does southern France mean in terms of wine? This month's 3BOTTLES explores this theme. We are particularly interested in this part of Europe because of the consistent rise in quality across many of the estates of this large region, leaving its bulk wine history behind in favor of a slow ascent to become one of France's most exciting and innovative wine growing zones.

Here is a map of France with the region of Bordeaux in the middle of the left and the Rhone River Valley centered on the right... and we are referring to southern France as all the land below this.

March 3BOTTLES provides 3 wines and a 6 page text about southern France and the wines and is available in the store for $45.