Our Growers:

Les Vignerons de Caractère are a cooperative in the village of Vacqueyras founded in 1957 with 120 winegrowers, whose winery produces half of the Appellation (1230 hectares). The wines that the cooperative carry belong to particular domains:

The Domaine du Grand Prieur is situated entirely within the Appellation Vacqueyras, in the heart of one of the finest vineyard areas in the Southern Rhône Valley. Here, on the plateau of Sarrians in the Hautes-Garrigues, whose stone-covered clay soil is very similar to that found at Chateauneuf-du-Pape, the Domaine du Grand Prieur was created in the 10th century by William the First. Since 1880, it has had only one owner, the Gras family. The soil is argillaceous with a siliceous and arenceous surface. The vineyard is planted with three of the traditional grape varieties of the Southern Rhône: Grenache for warmth and richness, and Syrah and Mouvèdre for solidity, color and longevity. The vines yield a maximum of 52 hl per hectare; the average production is 500 hl. Vinification is done by crushing and partial destemming.

The Côtes-du-Rhône Domaine du Grand Prieur is an assemblage of 55% Grenache and 45% Syrah. It is very aromatic with notes of small red fruits, crushed strawberries, and black currant. It is a fruity, subtle and lively wine and is well-balanced, with fine tannins. Wine & Spirits (June 2006): “Light and easy with lots of black pepper spice, this is an easy summer pour with spiced pork kabobs.” A Southern Season, a well-known retail store in NC, has this to say about the wine: "What (besides the cool label) makes Grand Prieur so special? The wine is light. These days, many inexpensive reds are flabby, sweet and heavy; this Grenache-based red is a refreshing alternative. I mean that it is actually refreshing, thirst-quenching. Serve this with a poached salmon, or a wilted spinach salad with hot bacon dressing. Devilishly easy to drink."

The Vacqueyras Domaine du Grand Prieur has a deep red color with crimson nuances. In the nose are spicy notes (nutmeg, thyme, pepper) along with ripe red fruits, violets and Morello cherries.. In the mouth, it is rich, round and powerful with tastes of the Garrigues and a final taste of licorice. The wine comes from vines which are 65% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 5% Mourvèdre and which are grown on argillaceous type soil with siliceous and arenceous surfaces. The average yield is 32 Hl/hectare. Carbonic maceration is combined with traditional vinification for this type of wine to produce more color and fruit.

The Vacqueyras Domaine de la Soléiade is made up of 55% Grenache and 45% Syrah. The vines are located on a very sunny table-land of the High Garrigues situated in Sarrians. Maximum output is 35 hl/hectare; winery output is 980 hl. The grapes, both crushed and whole, are combined and fermented together in vats for a short amount of time to preserve the fruit. Carbonic maceration is also used if needed to achieve a well-balanced wine. This is an aromatic deep-red color wine. Lightly spicy, supple in the mouth and generous, it develops different ripe fruit aromas as it evolves. This is an easy-to-drink wine, balanced and long in the finish.

Muscat de Beaumes de Venise from the domaine Bouquet des Dentelles is a sweet dessert wine produced since the 1950’s from the small-grained Muscat grape. The soil is sandy, with a maximum yield of 27 hls per hectare. Just after the harvest, pressing is done to extract the juice and then alcohol is added during fermentation to create a Vin Doux Naturel. The wine ages on its fine lees for 3 months. This wine should be served cold as an aperitif or with foie gras, Cavaillon melon, strong cheeses or with dessert cakes. The wine gives off scents of litchis and pineapple confit evolving into honeyed notes; it is well-rounded in the mouth with a refreshing finish of quince.

Les Figuières Beaumes de Venise rouge is a Cotes-du-Rhone cru first produced in 2005. With a good balance between balance and softness and fruitiness, the wine is an assemblage of Grenache (65%), Syrah (25%) and old-vine Carignan (10%). The grapes are harvested entirely by hand and the wine is vatted for approximately 10 days. This is an authentic Beaumes de Venise: a nose of dominant spicy, laurel and white pepper; in the mouth it is round and supple with a fresh, fruity finish. The wine is an ideal accompaniment to veal, roast duck or game birds.