Provence had really been through the wringer.

After being occupied by Greeks, Romans, Christians, Barbarians, Arabs, Spanish and the French, the region had faced a series of extreme highs and lows.

It was battered by war, devasted by a plague and practically neglected by most of France by the late 1700s.

The region was viewed as a backwater, underdeveloped rural fishing village that was inconveniently inaccessible to most people in Paris and other parts of France.

Therefore, it continued to stay out of sight and out of mind.

Through it all, however, Provence managed to solidify a distinctive cultural identity; a strong regional personality with an appreciation for the simple things in life.

Over time, the residents made use of their local treasures and many artisanal industries started to grow there. There was everything from perfume to textiles, olive oil production and pottery making, and, of course, winemaking.

Then things started to change. The outside world was beginning to take notice of Provence.

Word was beginning to spread about this sunny place near the sea. There was intrigue building about this land full of vineyards, grape vines, olive trees, lavender fields and seafood.

By the late 1800s, the British upper class soon found themselves descending upon Provence in droves, taking respite from the dark, dreary winters in England.

After the British settled in, they helped shepherd in a time that was later referred to as “The Belle Époque” – the good times or the beautiful age.

It also established a new industry for Provence: tourism.

By the end of the 1800s, the larger region was referred to as the Cote d’Azur (the Blue Coast), also known as the French Riviera.

The completion of railway projects helped make the region more accessible to visitors. It soon morphed into a popular tourism destination for the European noble classes – Russian aristocrats, British royalty, French nobility – and industry magnates.

This time, more specifically from 1871 to 1914, encapsulated a luxurious sun-kissed era full of warmth, pleasure, leisure and escapism during the winter months for the European upper class.

They were infusing the region with wealth, luxuries, infrastructure and architecture.

Then the artists came. They were attracted to the blue skies, blue water, bright colored flowers, landscapes and sunshine.

The region served as inspiration for several famous names like Paul Cézanne, Auguste Renoir, Marc Chagall, Vincent Van Gogh, Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso.

They were infusing the region with art, beauty and culture.

Vacationers absorbed the unique delicacies of the region – seafood, fresh vegetables, flowers, perfume, sun, coastline and wine of various colors.

Provence had seemingly grown out of those rough, rugged awkward years and stepped into its own renaissance of sorts.

There was the creation of great art, great literature, great architecture and great socializing.

Everything seemed so quaint, calm and peaceful.

Then a little bug came and caused mass destruction to vineyards, putting a major damper on the party.

Phylloxera is a small, microscopic bug that feeds on the roots and leaves of grape vines leaving them starved for water and nutrients. The bugs were unknowingly transported to areas throughout Europe from the United States of America around 1866. Within a few years, they destroyed about 70 percent of Europe’s vineyards by 1870.

The devastation forever eradicated many popular grape varietals grown throughout parts of Europe, particularly in southern France.

It was an extremely difficult time for winemakers.

Many producers were slow to rebuild and replant. When they did, the focus shifted to lesser used grapes, like Carignan for example in the south of France. These grapes were not considered ideal, stand-alone grapes to produce wine. But they helped winemakers garner higher yields to bounce back faster.

One young man from Alsace – in northeastern France – saw potential in Provence where many people just saw a problem.

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Marcel Ott used the opportunity to buy up land – which was cheaper after the Phylloxera spread – and worked to rebuild several estates in the Provence region with a handful of available grapes.

Winemakers during this time were infusing the region with a new style of high-quality, signature rosé wines.