2011 Vacqueyras, Château des Tours, Rhône

Château des Tours

Château des Tours is situated in the southern part of the Rhône Valley, specifically in the village of Visan. It is known for producing exceptional wines that showcase the unique terroir and express the region's character.

Founded in the 15th century, the winery has a rich history and has been passed down through generations, gaining prominence under the stewardship of Emmanuel Reynaud, a highly respected winemaker who also owned the iconic Châteauneuf-du-Pape estate, Château Rayas. Reynaud's dedication to crafting wines of exceptional quality and his commitment to organic farming practices have played a significant role in establishing Château des Tours as a revered winery.

The estate covers approximately 20 hectares (49 acres) of vineyards planted with various grape varietals that thrive in the Rhône Valley. Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Carignan are among the key red grape varieties grown, while white grapes such as Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier contribute to the production of white wines.

Château des Tours is known for its traditional winemaking techniques focusing on minimal intervention. The grapes are carefully hand-harvested and sorted to ensure only the highest quality fruit is used. Fermentation occurs in large oak vats or concrete tanks, allowing for gentle extraction and preservation of the fruit's purity. The wines are then aged in a combination of oak barrels and larger casks, contributing to their complexity and ageing potential.

The wines are highly regarded for their elegance, finesse, and the expression of their terroir, often exhibiting ripe fruit flavours, balanced acidity, and silky tannins. The red wines, in particular, showcase the rich, spicy, and earthy characteristics of the Rhône Valley.

The estate has been certified organic since 1997, emphasising the winery's dedication to producing wines that reflect the purity of the land and respect the environment.

Grenache/Garnacha

Grenache (Noir) is widely grown and comes in a variety of styles. Believed to originate in Spain, it was, in the late 20^th century, the most widely planted black grape variety in the world. Today it hovers around seventh in the pecking order. It tends to produce very fruity, rich wines that can range quite widely in their level of tannin.

In many regions – most famously the Southern Rhône, where it complements Syrah and Mourvèdre, among other grapes – it adds backbone and colour to blends, but some of the most notable Châteauneuf du Pape producers (such as Château Rayas) make 100 percent Grenache wines. The grape is a component in many wines of the Languedoc (where you’ll also find its lighter-coloured forms, Grenache Gris and Blanc) and is responsible for much southern French rosé – taking the lead in most Provence styles.

Found all over Spain as Garnacha Tinta (spelt Garnaxa in Catalonia), the grape variety is increasingly detailed on wine labels there. Along with Tempranillo, it forms the majority of the blend for Rioja’s reds and has been adopted widely in Navarra, where it produces lighter styles of red and rosado (rosé). It can also be found operating under a pseudonym, Cannonau, in Sardinia.