2014 and 2015 Vacqueyras: Quality and Value 

BY JOSH RAYNOLDS | AUGUST 29, 2017

Many of the best vineyards in Vacqueyras are situated on the hillsides, where cooler and windier weather can make growing high-quality Grenache a struggle - hence the planting of Syrah, which, as northern Rhône fans know, performs well under such conditions. Grenache here tends to be planted in warmer, lower sites around the village, where it can ripen more consistently. While Grenache does make up the majority of most Vacqueyras blends, Syrah and, to a lesser extent, Mourvèdre components imbue the wines with a darker fruit - and often wild - character. Classic renditions of Vacqueyras are usually deeper, more brooding wines than those from neighboring Gigondas and even Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which typically depend more heavily on Grenache and tend to show more of the red fruit and floral qualities associated with that variety.

Vacqueyras, Meffre

Mother Nature Throws Curveballs Again in 2014

After the difficult 2013 vintage, growers had their collective fingers crossed that Mother Nature would give them a fairer shake in 2014. Unfortunately, she had other plans. Cold, damp weather in early 2014 delayed the flowering but the warm, dry spring that followed pushed ripeness forward and created the potential for a healthy crop. Unfortunately, temperatures dropped in June and heavy rains arrived - and stuck around - slowing the vines’ growth dramatically. Conditions remained unseasonably cool well into summer, not warming up to normal until the end of August, with occasional rainfall remaining an issue. Fortunately, the late summer was benign and the harvest kicked off in mid-September and continued, calmly, through the middle of October.

While acidity levels can be elevated in some ‘14s they are rarely excessive. The freshness of most of these wines will make them accessible on the early side but they also possess the requisite structure for aging gracefully over the coming decade. Still, it’s the rare example that has the concentration for long-term cellaring. Not to worry, though, because 2015 has that covered.