92pts James Suckling

Loads of cassis, creamy cherries and sweet spices on the nose following through to a medium to full body with firm tannins. Plush and generously fruity on the palate with a focused finish. Grenache, syrah and mourvedre. Drink or hold.

90pts Wilfred Wong

The 2022 Vieux Clocher Vacqueyras is steadfast on the palate. This wine offers aromas and flavors of appealing licorice, savory earth, and a hint of oak. Serve it with an old-fashioned beef stew.

Tasting Notes

Light and fresh with plenty of vibrant red and black cherry and a hint of raspberry. Garrigue herbs and spice on the nose but an uplifting freshness makes it very approachable. Pair with poultry, beef in sauce, grilled red meats, cheese.

Winery Notes

Nestled at the foot of the Dentelles de Montmirail, this Provencal scrubland is swamped by sunlight and swept by the Mistral winds. It has produced richly concentrated grapes since the 14th Century. These fruity and powerful wines are a symphony of flavors and fragrances which were raised to the prestigious level of Cru des Côtes du Rhône since 1990.

Importer Notes

Since 1717, the cultivation of the vine is perpetuated in our family. This tradition and this heritage has become a passion. Even today, we produce our wines in the greatest respect for ancestral traditions, to be able to offer and you return all the authentic flavors of our land. The homestead covers 40 hectares on the plateau Garrigues, a plateau to the west of the appellation, and extends to Chateauneuf du Pape. These soils are prone to low yields of highly concentrated grapes tannins and aromas.

Marc and Jean-Francois Arnoux are the newest generation to carry on their family’s long history at this traditional Domaine that sits next door to the old Vacqueyras church. The family’s history in Vacqueyras dates back to 1731 and vineyard holdings are now 41 hectares in total, with additional volume supplemented with growing partners who have supplied the family for decades. Always complex and interesting, Arnoux’s offerings consistently over-deliver for us, this is a producer we’ve been working with since our early days.