Vacqueyras: The Southern Rhône’s Stealth Appellation

BY JOSH RAYNOLDS | FEBRUARY 27, 2020

While its more famous neighbors have long been on the radar of wine lovers and collectors, Vacqueyras and its wines continue to fly under the radar. That is likely to soon change, especially given the consistently fine value these wines offer and the uniformly high quality of recent and upcoming vintages.

At this point, no one who follows the wines of the southern Rhône Valley needs to be reminded that 2015 and 2016 are epic vintages across the region, with 2017 close on their heels. Now, with yet another outstanding vintage, 2018, likely waiting in the wings, there’s never been a better time to explore this still underrated (and, happily, in most cases underpriced) appellation, whose wines, at their best, can rival top-notch Gigondas and Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

The Insider’s Southern Rhône Appellation

Just how under-the-radar is Vacqueyras in the US? I informally polled over a dozen experienced sommeliers, retailers and collectors over the last year, and none of them could name more than a few producers who are based in or are specialists of the appellation. The good news is that they were able to list a number of Vacqueyras wines made by wineries based in Gigondas and Châteauneuf-du-Pape and, of course, négociant bottlings. Keep in mind that these are people who could probably rattle off 90% of the producers of Cornas, Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie and most of the domaines that work in Crozes-Hermitage and Saint-Joseph, not to mention Châteauneuf-du-Pape and even Gigondas. That’s good news for consumers, as lack of attention tends to keep prices low, but Vacqueyras and its best producers deserve better, especially in the 21st century.

The Vacqueyras Style

In Vacqueyras, the inclusion of a high percentage of complementary varieties generally gives Grenache a bit more up-front structure in the early going than most other wines in the southern Rhône Valley. Paradoxically, that structure falls off fairly quickly, typically making the wines approachable after just a few years in bottle. The wines then tend to hold up well until age 8-10, although I’ve tasted a number that were drinking admirably as they approached their second decade of life.

While few examples of Vacqueyras are built for long-term cellaring, as is the case with many examples from Gigondas and, particularly, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, they are definitely not easygoing, drink-on-release wines. Also, not many are made in the world-beating, flamboyant, large-scale fashion of a number of wines from neighboring appellations. As such, the best Vacqueyras deliver plenty of satisfaction for wine lovers who crave a more traditional style of southern Rhône wine, with generally lower alcohol levels and modest oak influence. They are also extremely food-friendly, and pair well with strongly seasoned foods as well as lighter fare, especially poultry, which is often overwhelmed by rich, full-throttle wines unless the sauce is up for the battle. I especially like Vacqueyras with mushroom dishes or preparations that involve truffles (when I can afford them!) as the Mourvèdre and Syrah that’s widely used here brings a degree of earthiness to the wines. Think pastas and risottos and you’re on the right path. Full-flavored cheeses are always a great call as well.