Famille Perrin Vacqueyras Les Christins - 2022

Our Vacqueyras Les Christins is a great example of a Grenache based wine from the Southern Rhône, with remarkable aromatic expression, immense structure, and huge ageing potential.

The 2022 vintage experienced contrasting climatic hazards which allowed to offer good quality grapes and a very promising aromatic complexity, with however a heterogeneous volume depending on the plots. Winter and spring were particularly mild and very dry, with the months of January and May proving to be the driest since the start of the 20th century, with record temperatures in May and June. These conditions allowed to maintain an excellent sanitary state of the vines, thanks to a total absence of disease. The summer was then very sunny with high temperatures that presaged high potential in terms of alcohol, but saving rains in mid-August allowed the grapes to slowly continue to mature. The harvest thus began on August 19th in very good conditions and 11 days ahead of 2021. It was punctuated by a few rainfalls in September which did not alter the superb quality of the grapes but made it necessary to carry out a light sorting in the vineyard. We have worked our rosés with finesse, for elegant, fruity and low-alcohol wines. The reds were gently vinified with delicate extractions which reveal particularly balanced wines. The first tastings suggest a 2022 vintage full of promise, with complex and aromatic palates and great balance.

Situated south of the Dentelles de Montmirail, our tenant farmed 8 hectares of vines at Sarrians are managed by the Château de Beaucastel team. They are old vines of an average of 50 years of age.

Stony terraces of clay, sand and sedimentary safres, with particularly good sunshine exposure.

The Grenache and Syrah vines are planted together, which is fairly unusual and quite difficult since the difference in maturities between the two varieties can be some 5 to 10 days. The harvest date is therefore based on the maturity of the Grenache, with the Syrah being harvested very ripe. They are picked by hand and on arrival at the cellar they are sorted, crushed, and vatted. Fermentation is quite long and extraction is obtained by manual cap punching. Vinification is quite classic, with little use of wood. The grapes are all vinified together, which allows for a certain synergy in extractions – the wine develops a good concentration of aromas but without any harshness, with lovely spicy notes from the Syrah. Following malolactic fermentation and blending, the wines are aged in foudres and barrels for one year.