The Winery Dentelles de Talabot of Vacqueyras of Rhone Valley

Our feet crunched through layers of dry oak leaves as we climbed a pebbly path towards the vineyards behind the farmhouse. Roots go deep here. Not just the tall oaks and squat vines, but families too. I walked the vineyards at Mas de Libian with Hélène Thibon, but it was her father Jean-Pierre that greeted me when I arrived. Hélène’s sister Catherine was out front with Bambi the horse, ploughing the sandier plots. Later, we tasted in the winery with Hélène’s son Aurélien. Three generations of a ...

At a national committee meeting held on Thursday 8th September, members of the Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité (INAO) voted unanimously to ratify the change to the appellation guidelines to allow white wines into AP Gigondas. A working group of growers and négociants has been pursuing the amendment for 11 years. The amendment states that white Gigondas must contain a minimum 70% Clairette. Other permitted varieties include Bourboulenc, Clairette Rose, Grenache Gris, Grenache Blan ...

‘All good quality years have hydric stress,’ says Jacky Bernard, President of AOC Vacqueyras, ‘otherwise you don’t get the necessary concentration… But extreme stress is counterproductive.’ Scroll down for tasting notes and scores for the top-scoring Gigondas, Vacqueyras & Beaumes de Venise 2020 wines {"content":"PHA+VmFjcXVleXJhcywgcGVyaGFwcyB0aGFua3MgdG8gaXRzIHByb3BvcnRpb24gb2Ygb2xkIHZpbmVzICg0MiUgYXJlIG92ZXIgNDAgeWVhcnMgb2xkKSByb2RlIG91dCB0aGUgZHJvdW ...