Pierre Amadieu "La Grangeliere" Vacqueyras

Name: Pierre Amadieu "La Grangeliere"
Color: Red
Varietal: Blend (Grenache/Syrah)
Vintage: 2007
Country/State: France
Region: Southern Rhone (Vacqueyras)
Price: $19
Stars: 4.5 (out of 5)


I chose this wine from Vacqueyras to drink with our Christmas Eve festivities...Krista made bacon-wrapped filets cooked in a red wine mushroom sauce with mashed potatoes and a nice fresh salad. The wine and the dinner were great. We had the 2005 vintage of this same wine about a year and a half ago and really enjoyed it, too. Much like that one, this 2007 was a little hot right out of the gate. Luckily I planned ahead and poured it in the decanter at around 3:30 and left it there while we went to church. By the time we got home and had a first glass at 6:00, it had mellowed out nicely and was really open and delicious.

The aromas and taste were primarily red fruits - strawberries and raspberries, with a bit of peppery spice. It was smooth and well-balanced, with a long finish...I have the Gigondas from Pierre Amadieu, as well, and can't wait to try it soon to see how it compares to the Vacqueyras.

Merry Christmas!!

Domaine Mas du Bouquet Vacqueyras

Name: Domaine Mas du Bouquet Vacqueyras
Color: Red
Varietal: Blend (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre)
Vintage: 2006
Country/State: France
Region: Vacqueyras
Price: $13
Stars: 4 (out of 5)


After having had great success with the Pierre Amadieu Vacqueyras back in August, I picked up a couple of other wines from this region in the Southern Rhone Valley on my last trip to Total Wine. We both really enjoyed this wine from Domaine Mas du Bouquet. It was full of fruit, but had some earthy spiciness to it. The body was medium, with a nose of blackberry and strawberry. It was very good, but I remember liking the Pierre Amadieu "La Grangeliere" Vacqueyras a little better.

We drank this wine last night with flank steak served over potatoes. Both the meal and the wine were terrific.

Pierre Amadieu "La Grangeliere" Vacqueyras

Name: Pierre Amadieu "La Grangeliere"
Color: Red
Varietal: Blend (Grenache/Syrah)
Vintage: 2005
Country/State: France
Region: Southern Rhone (Vacqueyras)
Price: $16
Stars: 4.5 (out of 5)


We loved this wine! We drank it last night with steaks that we grilled on our new grill. We finally had to part ways with our last grill that we had for about 12 years. It got to the point that it became more of a fire hazard than an outdoor kitchen appliance. We broke in the new one last night and it was great - I forgot how nice it is to have an automatic ignitor switch and to have both burners working evenly...

Krista and the boys bought this bottle of wine for me last Christmas, and I've been anxious to try it ever since. Finally, we got around to opening it last night and it was definitely worth the wait. Right out of the bottle, it was little hot, so I poured into the decanter and let it sit for about an hour. It definitely mellowed as it sat and got better and smoother throughout the night. The color was a deep, dark red. The nose was big dark fruits, dark cherries and plums, with some pepper and spice. The taste was similar to the aroma, and it paired really well with the peppery steaks. The finish was nice and long. Overall, it was a pretty full-bodied wine and was the type of red blend that we really like.