It’s not just 14 July – the Fete Nationale (or Bastille Day as the perfidious English refer to it). 13 – 14 July 2023 is also the time when the pretty Provencal village of Vacqueyras(84 Vaucluse, Provence ) celebrates its local wine with its Vacqueyras Wine Fair ( Fete des Vins de Vacqueyras)
Every year the village opens its doors and proudly shows its local wines to the world. These wines are a step above ordinary Cotes du Rhone – the next level up allows for wines to carry the name of the village in addition to the Cotes du Rhone label – and above this are wines which just carry the name of the village, such as Vacqueyras, Gigondas. Vacqueyras wines (red) are generally quite rich and robest with a silky smoothness which makes them very attractive.
For more info see Fete des Vins de Vacqueyras.
Hotels, B&Bs and self-catering in and near Vacqueyras
The power of balance! Full, delicate, and complex, the wines from this appellation are the result of assemblies that harmoniously combine the qualities of different terroirs…
Tucked at the foot of the Dentelles de Montmirail on the left-bank of the Ouvèze, this AOC is planted in Vacqueyras and Sarrians, between the prestigious Gigondas and Beaumes-de-Venise vineyards. The red wines will develop aromas of small red fruits and violet when young, and then grow into fragrances of liquorice, woodland, pepper, and spices as it ages. The rare white wines are bright and refined, and the rosés – even rarer – are full-bodied and flexible, with aromas of flowers and wild strawberries.
This wine’s beauty resides in its balance and personality. In Vacqueyras, the assembly results in strong wines with definite character, but always with a specific freshness and finesse. Indeed, Vacqueyras has been the official Cru of the Avignon festival since 1998 Rhone-wines.com
Our preferred domaine here is Domaine la Fourmone, which produces some excellent Vacqueyras, Gigondas and Cotes du Rhone wines. Domaine la Fourmore was one of the suppliers for Allez Vins! wine merchants.