Vacqueyras-- "A Rhône Play"
Vacqueyras (vah-keh-rahs) was unknown to me until recently when I was looking for a bottle of its Côtes du Rhône "cousin" Gigondas. Vacqueyras made its mark in 1990 gaining its own appellation, rising from the general Rhône "Village" AOC designation.
Like other Southern Rhône wine, Grenache is the main player with a minimum of 50% of the varietal required in this appellation, allowing the blend more room for varietals like Syrah and Mourvedre. Often found for good value prices, Vacqueyras are perfect for hearty meat stews and herb-based dishes.
The Rhône Valley
The Rhône Valley is in southeastern France where the climate is hot and it is mostly sunny throughout the year. The extra sun generally enhances the sugar in the grapes which boosts the level of alcohol in the wine. The soil of the Rhône is full of rocks that retain the summer heat during the days as well as the nights.
Rhone "Value Plays"
When visiting your local wine shops, there are 4 "levels" of quality in the Rhône Valley:
1. Côtes du Rhône— the "entry level" wine of the Rhône and account for about 58% of the areas production;
2. Côtes du Rhône Villages— a little more expensive than the entry level Rhône, the "Villages" account for about 8% of the areas production;
3. Côtes du Rhône Crus (specific regions) —- generally much more expensive than the general Rhône wine, but much more complex, these "Cru" account for about 10% of the Rhône production and would include wines of the northern and southern Rhône Valley such as Crozes-Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, Cornas and Hermitage from the north and Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas and Vacqueyras of the south.
4. Other appellations— within the Rhône, a variety of distinct appellations falling outside the main Rhône area in terms of wine styles but administratively within it account for 24% of the remaining production in the Valley. (i.e Clairette de Die, Côtes du Ventoux, and Côtes du Luberon).
Grape Varietals in the Rhône
The two major grape varietals in the Rhône Valley are Grenache and Syrah. Wine from the northern valley is widely based in Syrah. Wine from the southern valley is generally more of a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Mouvedre and other varietals— Chateauneuf-du-Pape winemakers, for instance, will use as many as 13 different grape varietals in their wonderful blends
Domaine des Amouriers Vacqueyras "Signature"
I found this at the Wine Seller in Ann Arbor retailing for about $18.00 per bottle (as opposed to a Gigondas at about $25.00-$35.00 per bottle and Chateauneuf-du-Pape from $40.00 and up per bottle). On the nose I got tobacco, cedar, pine needles and dark red berries. The palate brought tastes of blackberries, pepper and tea. We decanted this bottle for about 30 minutes before tasting. It started "okay" after 30 minutes but was much better and became more balanced after an hour. We paired the Vacqueyras with steak and it was fantastic!
As always, go out and try new things, including a Vacqueyras, and expand your palate. . . Cheers!!
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