Vacqueyras is a French wine

French wine

French wine is produced in several regions throughout France, in quantities between 50 and 60 million hectolitres per year, or 7–8 billion bottles. France has the world's second-largest total vineyard area, behind Spain, and is in the position of being the world's largest wine producer...

 Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée

Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée

Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...

(AOC) in the southern Rhône wine region

Rhône (wine region)

The Rhône wine region in Southern France is situated in the Rhône river valley and produces numerous wines under various Appellation d'origine contrôlée designations...

 of France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

, along the banks of the River Ouvèze

Ouvèze

The Ouvèze is river in southern France, left tributary of the Rhône. It rises in the southern French Prealps , in the commune of Montauban-sur-l'Ouvèze...

.It is primarily a red wine region with some white and rosé wines being produced. Being a little brother of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and, arguably, Gigondas, the wine is moderately prestigious and can yield beautiful results when treated right.

History

Wine has been produced in the region since the 15th century. However records are sparse, reduced to mentioning large vineyards and a decree on how to keep hungry goats away from the grapes. Vacqueyras received the A.O.C. Côtes du Rhône

Côtes du Rhône AOC

Côtes du Rhône is a wine-growing Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée for the Rhône wine region of France, which may be used throughout the region, also in those areas which are covered by other AOCs...

  Decree appellation in 1937 and as late as 1990, Vacqueyras was granted its own AOC, the first in the region since Gigondas in 1971 and the first of a number of candidates for that particular honor, recently bestowed to Beaumes-de-Venise

Beaumes-de-Venise

Beaumes-de-Venise is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-Name:The word "beaumes" comes from the old Provençal word balma meaning "cave" or "grotto"...

 and Vinsobres

Vinsobres AOC

Vinsobres is an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée for red wine in the southern part of the Rhône wine region of France, situated around Vinsobres....

.

Climate and geography

Located only a few kilometers south of Gigondas, Vacqueyras shares much of the same terroir with vineyards located in 100–400 m (328.1–1,312.3 ) altitude. The best vineyards are found on Plateau de Garrigues. In the lowland, warmer temperatures result in more powerful and often inelegant wines.

Grapes and wine

The bulk (97%) of the wine is red. The red wine can be much like the wines from Gigondas but for some reason Vacqueyras rarely manages to match their northern sibling.

Winemaking

Vacqueyras is, like Gigondas, known for its power rather than its elegance. The backbone of the wine is Grenache, however producers of Vacqueyras use more Syrah than is used in Gigondas which can make the style seem cooler.