Smart Discovery from Southern Rhône

As the Southern Rhône gets sliced up into smaller appellations—with something like 9 Crus and 21 Villages now—everyone's on the hunt to find the hidden gems.

The gems are there, and yet, it's a lot of work to build awareness and market share especially when an appellation isn't well-known. Just ask Lirac—despite being an AOC since 1937 and having so many delicious wines, Lirac is still a tiny category in California.

That's why I think Vacqueyras is a smart way to play Southern Rhône "discovery." Vacqueyras is still small compared to the heavyweight Crus, Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas, but it is beginning to break out of the pack here in California, gauging by wine-searcher listings.

In many ways, Vacqueyras is following in the footsteps of Gigondas. The Crus are geographically similar, being poised on the slopes of the Dentelles de Montmirail where elevation and protection from harsh winds provide a longer growing season than CdP.

When it finally gained its AOC status two decades after Gigondas—Vacqueyras borrowed heavily from Gigondas's playbook, setting high standards for quality and legislating a similar varietal blend.

It was a good move. Today Vacqueryas has solid ratings, name recognition while still being a great value. It's the kind of "QPR" people seek in a discovery.

The best examples of Vacqueyras are coming from specialists—small producers based in the appellation, such as Fontaine du Clos, whose wines we started importing a year ago.

Fontaine du Clos has been farming for generations. In fact, they run a vine nursery which has become a go-to for vineyards in France. All this translates to farming excellence which comes through in their wines.

The winery today is run by second-generation Céline and Jean-François Barnier, a young couple who seek to make wines they like—organically farmed, transparently made, and food-friendly. They've mastered their style by engaging consumers through events at the winery over the years.

With their farming expertise and consumer orientation, Fontaine du Clos Vacqueyras has quickly emerged on the scene, landing best-in-class scores from Robert Parker, Dunnuck, Wine Enthusiast and Hachette.

Fontaine du Clos Vacqueyras 2018

Blend: 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre

Farming: Organic

Soils: Stony, calcareous-clayey soil with a big proportion of round smooth pebbles

Vinification: Hand harvested; de-stemmed; 21 days on marc with two daily pump overs

Aging: Grenache and Mourvèdre are aged in tanks on fine lies, and Syrah in neutral oak, before blending