NOTE on the NOTES:
These were notes I scribbled down while sharing this bottle with freinds; they are not as elaborate as my normal tasting notes, which I suppose some may appreciate.
ON THE NOSE:
This Côtes du Rhône has an immediate horsey character, very old-world style, as expected, with the typical sour cherry, some band-aid aroma, and a fresh smell like just-rinsed lettuce. Later there are aromas of burnt sugar, and now the horsey aspect marries the fruit component, with hints of flower notes to celebrate the occasion.
ON THE PALATE:
This Côtes du Rhône Vacqueyras reminds me quite a bit of a Chianti with the exuberant sour cherry and the horsey, earthy, stinky, and even spicy aspects, the high acidity. There are some very nice tannins to make this nice and dry too, and the finish is clean, but overall it is not too well balanced for our palates.
(Click here for an explanation of our ratings ...)
Our Rating: 83
Would we drink it again? 
No, this is not a favorite of ours.
Would we buy it again?
Pass
Other ratings
88 Points - Wine Spectator
"Attractive dark plum and cassis fruit runs through this racy red, with spice, toast and red licorice notes. Stays very fresh through the finish. Drink now through 2009. 1,800 cases made"
About the Côtes du Rhône Region
Côtes du Rhône is a wine-growing AOC for the Rhône wine region of France, covering vineyards outside the other named appellations both in the north and south. The appellation can also be used by growers producing wines within a specific geographical location which do not meet that locations AOC requirements for grape variety or method of production. It is also sometimes used by growers when they feel that a specific vintage does not meet the acceptable standard to be labelled with their appellation name. So in theory a producer in the Hermitage AOC (or any other Rhône Valley AOC) could label his or her wines Côtes du Rhône as long as it met the AOC requirements and he or she wished to.
Red and rosé wines are made from Grenache Noir, Syrah, Cinsaut, Carignane, Counoise and Mourvèdre grapes, white wines from Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier, and Bourboulenc.
Reporter Pierre-Marie Doutrelant revealed that "the growers of Côtes du Rhône planted mourvèdre and syrah, two low-yield grapes that give the wine finesse, strictly for the benefit of government inspectors. Then, when the inspectors left, they grafted cheap high-yield vines—grenache and carignan—back onto the vines" (Prial).
