Vacqueyras:
The Long Road to Recognition

BY NICOLAS GREINACHER | NOVEMBER 18, 2025Once hailed as the hidden gem of the
Southern Rhône Valley, Vacqueyras increasingly finds itself at a moment of
reflection. The appellation, granted AOC status in 1990, has achieved steady
gains in quality over the years, yet its core identity remains elusive. Before I
share my insights on this topic, let’s zoom in on 2024, a vintage that came
with its own challenges across the Southern Rhône.The 2024 VintageAfter two years of dry and hot conditions,
the return of sustained spring rainfall in 2024 set a very different tone.
January and February were punctuated by alternating rain and bursts of Mistral
wind, followed by a notably wet March that brought as much as 150 millimeters
of precipitation and even snow at the base of Mont Ventoux, as reported by
Manon Saurel of Domaine Montirius. 





These cool, damp conditions limited early
disease pressure and delayed vine development, but by May, the combination of
warmth and humidity created a challenging environment for mildew control. Many
growers, especially those working organically or biodynamically, had to
intervene more frequently than usual, typically between eight and ten
treatments, as Frédéri Férigoule of Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux recalled.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1762875676793-Vacqueyras+Cover_Vinous.jpg">Vacqueyras vineyards in early September
2025, nestled amid lush Mediterranean vegetation.Spring marked one of the most humid periods
Vacqueyras had seen in recent years, with persistent rainfall and overcast
skies through much of May and early June. Warm days around 30°C (86°F), combined
with low wind and morning fog, heightened the risk of downy mildew. Despite high fungal
disease pressure, the relatively cool temperatures of early summer helped to
prevent severe losses like those seen in 2018. Vineyard work was intense, with
growers mowing, thinning leaves and improving airflow between rows to dry the
canopies. By late June, conditions began to stabilize, allowing the vines to
recover and progress toward a steady—if somewhat delayed—ripening phase.July and August then brought a more settled
rhythm. Temperatures hovered around 30-32°C (86-90°F) with occasional peaks above
35°C (95°F), but without the prolonged heatwaves that characterized 2022 or
2023. A few storms in late July provided timely relief for the vines, followed
by a mild August with minimal rainfall and balanced ripening. The absence of
excessive heat meant that sugar accumulation remained moderate and acidity was
preserved, giving the 2024 wines a fresh edge. My overall impression across the
appellation is of a measured, temperate season that favored balance over concentration,
even if yields were limited.Harvest began in late August for white
varieties and in early September for reds. Early September storms brought heavy
rainfall followed by a period of cool, windy weather as the Mistral returned.
Picking took place under humid conditions, which helped retain natural acidity
and aromatic lift but required careful sorting in the cellar. Most Vacqueyras producers
brought in all their grapes by the end of the month, with the appellation reporting
average yields of 28.8 hectoliters per hectare, roughly 5-10% below the yields
of 2023 and 2022.







Stylistically, 2024 looks set to deliver wines
of moderate structure and notable balance, with measured Mediterranean richness.
The reds display supple textures, fresh fruit and gentle tannins, offering
early approachability while maintaining enough depth for medium-term aging.
Whites, too, benefited from the cooler finish to the season, showing clarity
and lift. Some producers waited for increased ripeness and achieved more
muscular styles, while others embraced the naturally vivid acidity that the
vintage provided. Overall, 2024 will likely be remembered as a classic,
even-tempered year in Vacqueyras—the wines are less opulent than their recent predecessors,
yet full of understated charm.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1762875712822-Vacqueyras+Bottle+Shot_Vinous.jpg">A fine lineup of 2024 white Vacqueyras,
showcasing diverse blends that feature varieties such as Viognier, Roussanne,
Marsanne and Clairette.An Appellation at a Crossroads Vacqueyras has made undeniable progress in
quality since its official Cru designation, but the appellation continues to
wrestle with its own identity and market positioning. Overshadowed by its more
famous neighbours—Gigondas to the north and Châteauneuf-du-Pape to the west—Vacqueyras
risks being perceived as merely “yet another Southern Rhône Cru” rather than a
destination in its own right. The wines can be excellent, often reflecting a
sun-soaked expression of garrigue and ripe fruit, but the region still
lacks a unified vision. As the market shifts and pressures mount, Vacqueyras
needs time and coherence to define what truly sets it apart in the Rhône
landscape.Economically, the appellation is navigating
turbulent waters. Historically, Belgium and the United States were key export
markets, but both have dramatically contracted. Asia—once a growing outlet—has
not recovered economically from the pandemic. The domestic French market has
filled some of that void, though sales are increasingly fragmented and small-scale,
driven by hundreds of independent retailers rather than stable wholesale
networks. Only a minority of producers have carved out profitable niches, often
through direct relationships with cavistes and regional agents. The majority of wineries today remain
dependent on bulk sales or the cooperative system, which has struggled to adapt
to changing market dynamics and is now largely confined to the entry-level
segment. In 2024, Vacqueyras bulk wine represented 59% of total sales volume, compared
to just 34% in 2015. The cooperative model, once the backbone of Vacqueyras, has
also lost some of its influence. In past decades, this model provided financial
stability and managed a significant share of production, but declining prices
and an inability to pivot toward premiumization have left many growers
disillusioned. Some transitioned into estate bottling, investing heavily in
equipment and branding, but the market quickly became saturated. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1763502477520-Vacqueyras+Barrel_Vinous.jpg">An aged wine barrel resting in the cellars of Château des Tours, the celebrated Vacqueyras estate.









With too many producers chasing too few buyers,
bulk prices collapsed, and competition from newcomers in nearby appellations offering
less expensive alternatives increased. While Gigondas and Châteauneuf-du-Pape
have managed to sustain higher price points through strong reputations and
clearer identities, Vacqueyras remains more vulnerable, neither as affordable
as generic Côtes-du-Rhône nor as prestigious as its two peers.Vacqueyras possesses notable geological
diversity, stretching from the alluvial plains to the first slopes of the
Dentelles de Montmirail, but this diversity has not translated into a clear
collective narrative. Some producers emphasize richness and color intensity,
others finesse and aromatic lift, but disagreements over regulations—such as the
INAO’s recent insistence on minimum color density—have hindered stylistic
evolution. (INAO is a French government body that regulates and protects
agricultural products with official designations like AOC.) Producers who
prefer making lighter-colored, Cinsault-driven red wines, such as Château des
Tours, are often penalized. In 2014 and 2015, for instance, their Vacqueyras
was declassified for lacking sufficient color depth, even though those two particular
wines exemplified the very best of the appellation. Meanwhile, other growers
add more Syrah simply to satisfy the official color requirements. These
bureaucratic constraints not only stifle creativity, but also blur the
appellation’s potential to express its varied stylistic ranges under the same name.If Vacqueyras is to move forward, it must
first look inward. The future depends less on expanding production and more on
refining purpose—on articulating what makes these wines singular. That might
mean embracing diversity rather than uniformity and allowing flexibility with regard to color. The region’s economic resilience, combined with its wealth of old
vines and capable growers, gives it a strong foundation. But until Vacqueyras
reconciles its traditions with modern market realities and defines a cohesive
voice, it will remain caught between two worlds: acknowledged yet not deemed
interesting enough, promising yet still in search of a true identity among the
great Crus of the Southern Rhône.





I tasted all the wines for this report in
Vacqueyras in early September 2025.© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.<hr> You Might Also Enjoy<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/focus-on-vacqueyras-latest-vintages-and-top-producers-oct-2024">Focus on Vacqueyras: Latest Vintages and Top Producers</a>, Nicolas Greinacher, October 2024 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/vacqueyras-new-releases-walking-the-underdog-nov-2023">Vacqueyras New Releases: Walking the Underdog</a>, Nicolas Greinacher, November 2023<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/vacqueyras-the-southern-rhone-s-stealth-appellation-feb-2020">Vacqueyras: The Southern Rhône’s Stealth Appellation</a>, Josh Raynolds, February 2020 <div></div><a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/vacqueyras-2016-and-2015-value-and-consistency-nov-2018">Vacqueyras 2016 and 2015: Value and Consistency</a>, Josh Raynolds, November 2018

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