Wine producing villages in France | Vacqueyras

Vacqueyras, in the heart of the Vaucluse is in many ways off the beaten track. Although famous for its wines it is not that well known to tourists.

Wine has been produced in this region since the 15th century and Vacqueryas is famous for its wine and well known to wine fans and buyers. Vacqueyras received the A.O.C. Côtes du Rhône Decree appellation in 1937 and then in 1990, it was granted its own AOC. Berry Bros & Rudd, the famous wine merchants in London say “Vacqueyras was the second Côtes du Rhônes Villages to be upgraded to AOC status (after Gigondas) in 1990 and rightly so. These excellent value wines are like turbo-charged Côtes du Rhônes: dark, rich wines with the classic herbs and warm peppery spice of the Southern Rhône.”

The village itself is surrounded by protective walls and has some wonderful old buildings, some of which date back to the 11^th and 12^th centuries. The ramparts are from the 15^th Century and the remains of the Chateau, destroyed during the French Revolution date back to the 17^th Century. The little streets in the old village are shaded from the almost year round sun by plane trees and it has a feeling as though life has been largely unchanged for many years.