Vacqueyras
Vacqueyras was the second Côtes du Rhônes Villages to be upgraded to AOC status, and rightly so. These excellent-value wines are like turbo-charged Côtes du Rhônes: dark and rich with the classic herbs and warm peppery spice of the Southern Rhône. Compared to neighbouring Gigondas, they are slightly more restrained and rustic and slightly cheaper. They are made from a minimum 50 percent Grenache.
Vacqueyras was the second Côtes du Rhônes Villages to be upgraded to AOC status, after Gigondas, in 1990 and rightly so. These excellent-value wines are like turbo-charged Côtes du Rhônes: dark and rich with the classic herbs and warm peppery spice of the Southern Rhône.
Compared to neighbouring Gigondas, they are slightly more restrained and rustic – in the best sense of the word – and slightly cheaper. They are made from a little less Grenache (50 percent minimum) with the balance made up with Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault.
You should give Vacqueyras two to three years to come round, but they can then last up to a decade. The 770 hectares of vineyards are spread across the communes of Vacqueyras and Sarrians in the foothills of the Dentelles de Montmirail and produce almost exclusively red wines. The small amount of fresh, fruity rosé is normally well worth the search, while the tiny amount of white wine is mostly not.
Recommended producers: La Bastide de St. Vincent, Montirius
Prices:
Bottle
£17.25
Bottle 12 x 75cl 3cs
Drink 2017-2021.
Simon Field MW – Wine Buyer
Bottle
£29.95
Bottle 12 x 75cl 10cs
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer, February 2012
The evocative names of the surrounding landmarks, specifically the Plateau Des Garrigues and the Dentelles De Montmirail, provide a scenic geographical backdrop to Laurent Daniel’s vineyards. Silky elegance, real Mediterranean warmth and finely balanced tannins are the secrets to Laurent’s success, not forgetting more prosaic factors such as timely picking of the grapes and attention to detail in the winery.
Vacqueyras Les Clos offers an explosive nose of ripe black cherries with hints of dark chocolate that leads on to a wine of glorious texture on the palate, really mouth-filling and voluminous. The richness almost obscures the fine-grained tannins but they are present in abundance and will ensure wonderful drinking until 2017. Best Value - Southern Rhône
A stunning expression of Grenache, Vacqueyras Les Clos scales new heights in 2007. Its nose is evocative of lilies and spring flowers whilst its palate combines spices, herbs and ripe dark fruits. This is elegant and very complete.
(Simon Field MW, Berrys’ Rhône Buyer)
aniseed and hints – appropriately enough – of the
garrigue. The wine is made up of 70 percent Grenache
and 30 percent Syrah, the age of the Grenache
being at least 60-years-old. Christine describes the
fermentation process in terms of an infusion delicacy
being key and the temperature kept no higher than
28 degrees. The resulting style she describes as une
bonne amertune, the apparently bittersweet oxymoron
explained most lucidly by the wine itself. Drink
2019-2023.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer
Bottle 6 x 75cl 42cs
fruit sourced from ten parcels and dominated by the
75 percent of tank-aged Grenache, with Syrah and
Mourvèdre providing impressive support. Herbs,
cassis and a hint of eucalypt provide the backdrop
and the ensemble is enrobed and ennobled by ripe yet
finely poised tannins. Drink 2019-2021.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer
Bottle 12 x 75cl 15cs
Simon Field MW - Wine Buyer
Flanking the evocatively named Dentelles de Montmirail, with vines on the equally evocative Plateau des Garrigues, La Bastide Saint Vincent is a delightful, family-owned wine domaine with 17th century origins. The unassuming Laurent Daniel never overworks his fruit and his fruit repays him with interest; a very subtle producer of supple wines. Laurent was happy with both quality and quantity in 2015–a vintage which he compares, somewhat against the trend, to 2007.