Winemaker, Damien Vache, really appreciates a lighter bodied style of wine from the Rhône and with the recent hot vintages, this is becoming more and more difficult to achieve. As he replaces old vines that are no longer producing fruit, he is planting more Counoise, Cinsault, and Carignan, grapes that are all naturally lower in alcohol. Now, the challenge is that to be classified as Vacqueyras, the blend must be 90% Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre. The “Calades” is classifed as a Côtes du Rhône, although all of the fruit is planted in Vacqueyras. The blend is Cinsault, Counoise, Grenache and it’s made in cement tanks without any sulfur during vinification or aging, only a small amount at bottling.