Vacqueyras is a Provencal village located in the southern Rhône Valley near the Dentelles de Montmirail. Vacqueyras; "Valléa Quadreria" in Latin, means "Valley of stones".
Authenticity and the art of living define this area and the first traces of the culture of the vine date from the Middle Ages. Its appellation area covers villages of Vacqueyras and Sarrians, at the foot of the Dentelles de Montmirail, the mineral jewel of the region. Vacqueyras has long been a place of cultivation: vines, mulberry trees and olive trees...
The first land register of the Comtat Venaissin (1414) already indicates the presence of vines in the village. In 1448, reference is made to the levying of taxes on grape and wine harvests. In 1937, Vacqueyras was included in the Côtes du Rhône appellation area. By the 1967 decree, Vacqueyras became part of the Côtes du Rhône Villages area. On February 22, 1990, the INAO (Institut National des Appellations d'Origine Contrôlée) decided that Vacqueyras should become a "cru" of the Rhône Valley. In Vacqueyras, people have been cultivating vines for a long time. Today, it is the main crop of the village.
The AOC Vacqueyras in a few figures:
The Vacqueyras vineyard is overlooked by the Dentelles de Montmirail and benefits from a diversity of soils and terroirs: fragments of white limestone, clay, pebbles, safres, marl, sandstone and cailloutis. Most of the vines are planted on the large terraces of the Ouvèze river.
It is by enhancing the typicity of this terroir that the producers obtain such fine, balanced and harmonious wines. The layers of round pebbles deposited by the Ouvèze river help to temper the summer drought. The fame of Vacqueyras wines is mainly due to its reds wines. It is because the winemakers know and master their terroir that they manage to produce complex and concentrated wines.
The vines thrive in a Mediterranean climate tempered by the Mistral wind. The Mistral reduces rainfall and thus limits vine diseases. In spring, it also protects the vines from frost by creating air flows. The red wines of Vacqueyras develop complex aromas of black or red fruits and candied fruits which then evolve into more animal and spicy notes.
The production of white wines in Vacqueyras is more confidentia l. The whites show freshness, nervousness and aromas with citrus notes.
The Vacqueyras rosés are powerful and colorful and are distinguished by a beautiful aromatic persistence.
For the elaboration of red, white and rosé wines, the winegrowers can use various grape varieties such as Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Counoise, Carignan, Cinsault, Bourboulenc, Grenache blanc, Roussanne, Viognier, Marsanne, Muscardin, Terret noir, Clairette blanche and Piquepoul noir. These different types of grape varieties must be blended in accordance with the specifications which define the main, complementary and accessory grape varieties.
