Included in my blind tasting of Vacqueyras and retasted (with an identical score) at the domaine, the 2015 Vacqueyras le Clos is a stunner. A 50-50 blend of Grenache and Syrah grown next to the winery on blue clay soils, it seems almost impervious to the effects of drought and heat. It's full-bodied and richly textured, but with no loss of detail and no sense of heat. Flowering garrigue makes a mark on the nose, followed by notions of apricots, raspberries and blackberries. The tannins are incredibly supple, the mouthfeel lush, the finish long and elegant. As I wrote in my notebook on one occasion, "This is the real deal" and "This is spectacular" (with "is" underlined) on the other, you might surmise I liked it, even without looking at the rating.

Lovely, offering fleshy, silky layers of lightly steeped cassis, plum and raspberry fruit inlaid with a mouthwatering sanguine note and backed by subtle mesquite and black tea hints. The long finish flows wonderfully. Drink now through 2020. 1,416 cases made, 56 cases imported.??–JM??Region: France / Southern Rh?ne / Vacqueyras Select to Add