As I have indicated in many of my reports on the southern Rhone, while I am a big fan of everything the family of Michel Maret and his daughters produce in Chateauneuf du Pape, perhaps their biggest sleeper wine and best value is their Vacqueyras. With just over 10 acres in this appellation, the 2007 Vacqueyras (a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah) is aged in both stainless steel tanks and wood foudres. It consistently displays loads of pepper, meat juices, Provencal herbs, licorice, and spice. This is an impressive wine in 2007, richer than normal, full-bodied, with lots of glycerin, thickness, and succulence, without any hard edges. This is a head-turning, flamboyant style of Vacqueyras that is hard to ignore. Drink it over the next 5-6 years. The Maret family runs this impeccably managed estate that has nearly 45 acres of vineyards, primarily in the northeast sector of the appellation. They also have a large holding on the high plateau in the northern tier of Chateauneuf du Pape from which they produce their superb Les Hautes Brusquieres from a lieux-dit of the same name. Only two 2008s were made. All of the 2007s performed better out of bottle than they did last year.Importer: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173

Smoky bacon - wham! Nutty, crisp, black fruit and a liquorice lining. Peppered tannins that leave it rather dry. Fat finish.