2015 Vacqueyras
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Tasting notes
Xavier Vignon uses concrete tanks here to maintain freshness, having found that the Mistral can cause the reverse in steel tanks. Excellent structure and depth, fruit forward without being jammy, and once again that long, long finish. Apr 2017, FINE+RARE
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
This has a rich, supple and settled feel, after a couple of years of bottle age, delivering a grounded, red-plum and berry style that holds quite good length. Drink now.
Deep ruby. Pungent, spice-accented red and blue fruit aromas show very good clarity and pick up licorice and floral notes as the wine opens up. Juicy, focused and energetic on the palate, offering vibrant blackberry and bitter cherry flavors that slowly deepen and become sweeter on the back half. At once concentrated and lively, showing solid grip and spicy drive on a long, youthfully tannic finish.
One of the standouts in the portfolio is the 2015 Vacqueyras and it’s a full-bodied, charming, even sexy blend of 60% Grenache, 30% Grenache and 10% Mourvèdre that’s aged in a combination of one- to three-year-old barrels. Giving up loads of black raspberries, plums, spice box and garrigue, it hits the palate with an expansive, rounded and ripe profile that just begs to be drunk. I expect it will benefit from a year or two of bottle age and shine through 2025.
About the producer
Xavier Vignon has become one of the Rhône Valley’s most accomplished winemakers. Despite not owning his own vineyards, Vignon’s experience consulting for over 500 different vignerons in the region has given him incredible access to some of the Rhône’s finest terroirs.