Maison Tardieu Laurent - Vacqueyras Vieilles Vignes

Téléchargements

Les vieilles vignes de serine ont su, de nouveau, tirer leur épingle du jeu. Elles confèrent au vin un côté septentrional. Pour ce qui est du grenache, les vignes sur sable ont fait merveille.
The vintage

2013 recalls vintages of the early 80s, with wines of heterogeneous quality. Most striking feature: the old vine did not, as is the rule, make the difference. Exceptional... indeed, some sectors suffered a lot, with a historically low harvest, due to "coulure" but also to the extreme cold of the preceding year. Therefore, the old vine had trouble ripening its - too scarce - grapes : it kept on growing, thus « forgetting » its fruit. Another observation : it seems that vignerons who pruned in March succeeded better.
With regards to 2013, as you will have understood, detecting the “right” areas was even wiser than focusing on the very old vines exclusively. This is the approach which we operated. Harvest : the unusually cool and rainy spring has, from the start, conditioned the year, imposing a late harvest - in october... In some sectors, it was only completed on October 29th. and some of our partners who have vineyards at higher altitudes, cooler, early November !
To date, our wines display beautiful colours, with a distinguished, fresh fruit. A touch of austerity, with tannins which can be marked on some "cuvées". Not the shadow of a doubt : here are wines which call for "élevage"! And, if they lack, for the time being, a little harmony and roundness, they appear very "trendy", as though they had been designed for some markets in demand of wines that are fresh, yet typical, balanced, yet with moderate alcoholic degrees...

Terroir

Les Grès, les Pendants, la Longe, la Ponche.

Type of soil

Round pebbles and sand.

Ageing

12 months in one vintage barrels. Allier et Tronçais. Then 12 months in foudre.

Winemaking

50% non destemmed.
Organic Farming.

Tasting

Wine with a real character, juicy and powerful.

Alcohol content

14%

Bottling

Without fining and filtration.

Cépages

Grenache : 70 %
Syrah : 30 %

Dark crimson. Less obviously 'sweet' than the Rasteau. Fine boned and savoury. Well constructed and with lots of energy and punch. Tannins particularly well managed but correct rather than exotic like the Rasteau. Lots of tannin on the finish. A hint of austerity at the moment.

Jancis Robinson , 17/20 , 2014-10-06

the 2013 Vacqueyras Vieilles Vignes is another superb looking 2013 from Michel. Offering beautiful purity in its black and blue fruits, violets and spice, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a rounded, supple texture, impressive concentration and juicy acidity. I love it for its core of fruit and approachable feel, and it should evolve gracefully.

Jeb Dunnuck
Wine Advocate , 89-92/100 , 2014-10-01

Réussite magistrale du complexe millésime 2013.

Guide Bettane et Desseauve des vins de France , 15,5/20 , 2016-08-20

Du poids en bouche avec une matière solide et pleine.

Les Meilleurs Vins de France 2016 - Guide de la Revue des Vins de France , 14/20 , 2015-08-01

Bright ruby. Powerful red and dark berry scents, accompanied by a smoky mineral quality and a hint of candied flowers. Spicy black raspberry and cherry compote flavors put on weight with air, picking up an exotic hint of lavender pastille. Maintains focus and vibrancy through a long, smoky, gently tannic finish that emphatically echoes the floral note.

Jos Raynolds
Vinous , 91/100 , 2016-02-01