Weekly Wine Review - Southern Rhone Red - 2009 Maison Arnoux & Fils Vacqueyras The Vac

Fresh off writing my recent post Get to Know your Grapes Series - Grenache a.k.a. Garnacha, I was looking for an interesting new Grenache based wine to try.  I browed a few offerings from Rhone Ranger wineries in Central California, but ultimately decided to try a new region for me - Vacqueyras in the Southern Rhone region of France.

Wine: 2009 Maison Arnoux & Fils Vacqueyras The Vac

Region: Vacqueyras, Southern Rhone, France
Grape Varieties: Southern Rhone Blend - Grenache and Syrah

Obtained from: Purchased at Total Wine & More

Price: $18.00

Wino4Life Category: Everyday Wine

Aeration before tasting: Just a swirl or two, no special aeration.

Cork Condition: Real cork - no defects or issues.

Appearance: Wine is clear, dark red in color with a water white rim.

Aroma: To put it simply - wow!  There is a ton going on with the nose of this wine.  So much it is difficult to figure out all the different components - but definitely raspberry, smoked meat, vanilla, leather, and even something a bit floral.

Taste: The jumble of aromas come together for a nicely fruity wine, a good amount of tannins, and a nice bit of acidity. A nice long finish.

The Grade: I give this one an A. If for no other reason than to test your powers of identifying wine aromas. This may seem overwhelming with the intensity and variety in the nose - but give it a try, it may grow on you!