The Vacqueyras appellation is often overshadowed by its illustrious neighbour, Châteauneuf-du-Pape. As Southern Rhône afficionados, we have found that Vacqueyras frequently offers the quality of Châteauneuf at a fraction of the price. The 2020 Lavau is no exception. A gorgeous dark fruit profile is complimented by subtle pepper and violet notes. The texture and purity here are spot-on and this medium-bodied beauty will drink well for 7-8 years.
"Two thousand twenty is a very good vintage in Vacqueyras. Like in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the wines are often well-structured, aromatically complex and have a remarkable sense of harmony." - Nicolas Greinacher, Vinous
This is very good value for money. A Piedmont red under $30! It has good dark fruit, some nice tannins and acid to balance although it would benefit from some more age to smooth it a bit but I liked its feistiness now.
I was happily surprised by the quality of the labels in the "mystery" case of rose wines - great value for the money I must say. Excellent drinking experience from the unfamiliar labels and happy to enjoy again the familiar ones.