Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
A very dark and flowing style this year with large amount of tannins, really shot through with thick, very ripe tannins. Hard to judge - it's thick, but not drying, very fruity, and very dark in fruit. Likely to be a long-lived Poète.
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Wine Enthusiast
This homage to family poet Roger Combe is stylish, with rich dark fruits upfront and an herbaceous midpalate. The textural and mineral finish reflect the sandy-silt and limestone soils from which it is grown. While it has plenty of finesse, the wine’s slow evolution in the glass hints that it could offer more by cellaring until 2030.
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.