Winemaker Notes
Beautiful garnet color, bright and dark. Powerful and generous nose evoking red fruits. Then come southern accents, fig, cinnamon and scrubland with a little musk. The structured and dense flesh dominates the attack on the palate and gives way to notes of jammy cherries, a little prune and laurel.
Blend: 70% Grenache, 10 Cinsault, 10% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A well-crafted, balanced and harmonious Vacqueyras red. Notes of sweet berries, wild herbs, baking spices and some leather on the nose follow through to a medium to full body with fine, firm tannins. Dense and focused, with a caressing touch of berries and a lift of spices bringing energy and verve on the palate. Subtle and delicious finish. Drink or hold.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
This charming appellation within the Côtes du Rhône Villages was second only to Gigondas to earn its own village appellation status. Its wines may be red, rosé or white—though hardly any is white. Its high winemaking standards follow many of the same rules as Chateauneuf-du-Pape. But for Vacqueyras red wines, half of the grapes have to be Grenache and the remainder is usually a combination of Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsault.
While they can be robust and rustic in style, typically a great Vacqueyras red combines delicate aromas with intense fruit and a bright, crisp texture. They certainly don’t lack any character and show an abundance of black cherry, wild berry, plum, fig, baking spice, and a touch of game or smoke.