- red
- 0 in stock
- Organic
- Biodynamic
"One of the top domains in the appellation and of a benchmark for cellar-worthy Vacqueyras. Comprised of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah , 10% Mourvèdre/Cinsault/Carignan from 17 ha of biodynamically farmed plots on the Plateau des Garrigues. Grapes are hand-harvested, destemmed, and fermented in concrete with native yeasts and aged in foudre. An old friend if ever there was one. A bottle of the 1995 Sang Des Cailloux enjoyed in 2010 taught me that one should really cellar at least a few of these every vintage. You expect Châteauneuf from a good producer to be humming along at 15 years of age, but Vacqueyras? But more than humming, that humble bottle sang (pun intended) with juicy black fruit, resolved tannins and a nose full of dried violets and garrigue. It was quite a wine and mustachioed vigneron Serge Férogoule (since retired) was quite a man. That bottle was enough to convince me to tuck away a few bottles of his wines nearly every subsequent vintage. And this is what I am urging you to do, as well. And the Sang des Cailloux 2019 Vacqueyras Cuvée Floureto is a cracking place to start. The robe is an inky purple hue to the rim of the glass. The nose is a bit circumspect upon opening, but a quick decant reveals aromas of crushed violets, wild blackberry, mulberry, and garrigue with hints toasted peppercorn and fennel seed. The palate is concentrated and firm just out of the bottle, but with a bit of coaxing reveals plummy rich black and blue fruit flavors. This shows a concentrated ripeness that nonetheless remains tethered to the deeply-pitched mineral core, ennobled by firm, but sophisticated, tannins and a mineral tang that speaks to the old vines and biodynamic farming. This is certainly young but displays exquisite potential in its “callow” youth. Lovely wine of terroir with oodles of upside. John McIlwain