"One of my favorite Vacqueyras, the 2012 from Colline Saint Jean checks in as a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah that spent 18 months in concrete tank prior to bottling. It's a fabulous, pure expression of the tiny appellation and offers gorgeous dark fruits, chocolate, licorice and assorted earthiness, full-bodied richness and a ripe, layered, textured profile on the palate. Buy this beauty by the case and enjoy it over the coming decade. - Jeb Dunnuck"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #216, January 2015), 93 pts
The estate’s old vine cuvée, which is made from 75% Grenache and 25% Syrah, is the 2013 Vacqueyras Vieilles Vignes; it is more expansive and concentrated than the classic cuvée and offers notes of exotic pepper, black raspberries, tobacco leaf and licorice. It’s not a blockbuster, but plays nicely in the vintage in its medium to full-bodied richness and high quality tannin on the finish. Drink it over the coming 5-7 years."
"Bright violet color. Energetic spices and mineral-accented aromas of fresh dark berries and lavender, with a hint of gaminess building slowly. Silky and sweet in the mouth, offering sappy black raspberry and cherry flavors and a strong suggestion of spicecake. Smooths out nicely on the finish, which features fine-grained tannins echoes of floral pastilles and smoked meat. In a traditional style, with a distinctly wild edge that I find intriguing. - Josh Raynolds"
"(made with 20 percent whole clusters and raised for 18 months in concrete tanks) Opaque ruby. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes ripe dark berries, lavender and garrigue, complemented by an exotic incense flourish. Sweet, seamless and broad on the palate, offering intense blackberry, spicecake and lavender pastille flavors and a touch of smokiness. At once powerful and graceful, featuring supple texture, rounded tannins and strong finishing clarity and thrust.- Josh Raynolds"
"The old vine cuvee is the 2015 Vacqueyras Vieilles Vignes (80% Grenache and 20% Syrah), and it tastes similar to the classic cuvee, yet has more concentration and length. Toasted spices, black raspberries, crushed violets and licorice give way to a full-bodied, concentrated, ripe 2015 that has sweet tannin and loads of charm. It’s a big, blockbuster-styled beauty to buy by the case. - Jeb Dunnuck"
"Sun-drenched blackberry and plum flavors are dense and brooding in this wine. Muscular and intensely fruity, it's surprisingly multifaceted too, offering whiffs of granite, wet earth and tobacco alongside gamier notes of saddle and fur. A complex but lipsmacking wine it offers smooth, integrated tannins that gloss a long finish. - Anna Lee C. Iijima"
"Penetrating notes of black-cherry preserve are shaded by leather, garrigue and earth in this brawny blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah. Black-fruit flavors are inky and intense but juxtapose against rustic, savory tones and gripping tannins. At peak now it should hold well through 2024. - Anna Lee C. Iijima"