Vacqueyras Cuvee Lopy 2017, Domaine le Sang des Cailloux

Retaining the powerful complexity of Serge's wines, this is indeed a dense and dark wine, filled with lusciously ripe bramble fruits with a streak of minerality that gives elegance and finesse. The nose is heavily perfumed with juicy blackcurrant and cherry fruit which follow through the mouth with hints of cinnamon bark and cloves on the end of the lingering palate. 

When the Vacqueyras appellation broke away from the Cotes du Rhone Villages family in 1990, Serge Ferigoule realised that it was the ideal time to create something totally out of the norm and today has a quite remarkable selection of Vacqueyras which he has hand-crafted with enormous passion. Recently, Robert Parker put Serge's wines in to the superstar category but, typical of the man, he has maintained our allocation just as it was before, despite phenomenal demand from the USA.

From 16-hectares of vineyard (where he uses no pesticides, herbicides or fertilisers) he annually makes a pair of wines which he names (in Provencal French) after one of his daughters and after the farm in Avignon where he was born. The daughter's cuvee changes name on a year-to-year basis whilst the other one is for his top selection which is called Cuvee Lopy .

The normal cuvee is generally a blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and the rest a mix of Mourvedre and Cinsault. The Lopy is 75% Grenache and 25% Syrah. These are extravagant, deep, dark and brooding classics