I’d say Vacqueyras is my favourite of the named Rhône villages. I find it is usually quite elegant, compared to many of the others, which are to me more coarse. So, Vacqueyras is always welcome. I’ve had this wine before, but not this vintage. Nor do I think I’ve had it since Covid. So it’s time to revisit it. I’m joined by a special guest taster (commentator?) AH for this one.
In the glass
It’s lighter than I expect. A medium trending towards light ruby. Clear. AH comments that it is also lighter than he’d expect a Vacqueyras to be. Later in the evening, AH messages an image of what we are drinking to someone else, who also comments that it looks lighter than he’d expect. Make of that what you will. The nose I get more than usual this time around, which means it must be quite pronounced for those with a more normative sense of smell. I get red currants, and something darker – black cherries, perhaps. Darker fruits, but with a hint of sweetness. AH agrees with the cherry-ishness and adds cassis into the mix.
The palate
Keeping with the colour, the body is also lighter than I expected. It’s definitely red-tasting. I’d go with redcurrants again. (Why is that spelled as one word? Doesn’t it make more sense to spell it as two?) Some cranberry. Mulberry. AH suggests liquorice and blackberry as well. It’s elegant. Nicely balanced; nothing really sticks out, in a bad way, about this wine. Medium-length finish. I don’t pick up any of the black pepper or other notes characteristic of syrah, but maybe I just missed them. It’s easy drinking, but that’s not to say it lacks sophistication or interest. It stands very well on its own. We tasted this one sitting in a back garden on a pleasant summer evening. It was a damn good match.
Rating
Pretty on visuals, with Yummy-plus overall. Elegant. Refined. Reminds me why I like Vacqueyras so much. Great on its own, would also go well with food. Our evening discussion was punctuated with quite a few ‘man, this is good!’ type comments.
Sustainability
Organic, vegan.
The technical info and such
13.5% , Grenache (75%), Syrah (25%). £22 from Cambridge Wine Merchants.