It’s that time of year again, time for the SuperValu French Wine Event.
My friends at SuperValu sent me several wines to try, and this was my favourite by a margin, so it deserves a post all of its own.
Rémy Ferbras Vacqueras 2022
Vacqueras is generally considered to be the third-ranked AOC of the Southern Rhône, behind the world famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape and then Gigondas. Living in the shadow of such an estimed neighbour might make it harded for vignerons to sell their wine, but it does represent good value for those drinkers in the know.
Red wines in the Rhône méridional are often blends of Grenache Noir, Syrah and Mourvèdre, known as a GSM blend for short. The percentage in each wine varies – and can be augmented by any of the appelations 18 (!) permitted varieties – but is often 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre. The exact blend for this wine isn’t given, but as the grapes are mentioned in the GSM order we can assume that the assemblage is close to the usual.
Located at the foot of the Dentelles de Montmirail mountains, one of the most important topographical features of the Southern Rhône, the soils of Vacqueras are composed of clay and sand with rolled galet stones. Clay gives the wines power, sand gives smoothness and galet stones add power. Like many producers, Rémy Ferbras makes wines from a host of different AOCs, including big brother Châteauneuf-du-Pape (which is listed at €30 at SuperValu).
The grapes are harvested when fully ripe, then sorted to remove any unhealthy berries. After destemming, the grapes are crushed then vinified separately. Alcoholic fermentaiton is temperture controlled between 26°C and 28°C with 3 weeks of maceration. The young wines are then aged in a mixture of stainless steel tank, barrels and demi-muids. Grenache is not a fan of oxygen so my guess is that the Grenache is aged in steel and the other varieties are aged in wood. All the elements are blended together before bottling.
In the glass this Vacqueras looks vibrant, juicy and inviting. The nose is (unironically) intoxicating, warming and enticing. It shows deep black and red fruits (from the Grenache) with exotic spices from the Syrah.
The palate is rich, comforting and cosseting; velvet and heady, even hedonistic. There’s luscious, tangy fruit and some black olive notes coming in from the Mourvèdre, and just a little bit of vanilla from the partial fermentation in oak. There’s a natural aspect to this wine, though it’s not what you’d expect from a “natural wine”; more that it tastes like a wine made in a winery rather than a factory, which isn’t always the case at this price point.
Conclusion
This is SuperValu’s wine of the month, and that’s a great choice in my opinion. I think it’s a good buy at the regular price of €20, but at the promotional price of €10 it’s an absolute steal!
- RRP: €20 down to €10 in the SuperValu French Wine Event (Thurs 4th Sept to Weds 24th Sept)
- ABV: 14.5%
- Source: sample
- Stockists: SuperValu stores and supervalu.ie
