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Hedging Bets on The Spectator's 98pt Rave
We were riding the fence, unclear of which way to go. Sure, we'd known since the summer of 2011 that the 2010 vintage in the southern Rhone would be one of historic significance. The 2007s and 2009s may have been equally voluptuous. The 2005s as marvelously chiseled. But it had been nearly 35 years, with the release of the monumental 1978s, that we'd been treated to ancient vine Grenache that combined explosive red fruit bombast with such age-worthy vibrancy.
But, our job description here at WineAccess doesn't simply require us to find inspired bottles, but to make sure they're delivered to your doorstep at the "right" price. One look at the business section of Le Monde, and everything pointed to standing pat.
The dollar was at its weakest since the Euro came on the scene, making modestly priced bottles fairly expensive. France's banks seemed poised for a sequel of "Too Big To Fail." Restaurants were empty, even in Provence, and traffic to wine country cellars was slowing to a trickle.
Our friend, super-enologist Xavier Vignon, would be the voice of reason. Yes, l'economie is uncertain. Sure, the Common Market seems awfully uncommon. But the 2010 vintage was almost uniformly astounding. Perhaps more importantly, yields were down 25-30%. If Parker somehow missed the boat and Molesworth did the same, maybe we'd have been right to ride the fence. But, if not? We'd be hung out to dry.
Coming from any other producer in the southern Rhone, we might have called his bluff. But the winemaker whose hands have been all over a dozen Wine Advocate 98-100 pointers over the last decade, is the world's worst salesman. If he said it, he believed it. Roll the dice? Go all in? In the end, we split the difference and hedged our bets. Good thing we did.
First it would be Parker who wrote: "2010's paradox is that I can't remember a vintage so concentrated, powerful and rich that also has such zesty acidity." But it would be Molesworth's report in Wine Spectator that would make bedwetters out of fence riders.
Wine Spectator came on like gangbusters, dropping a 98pt vintage score -- the highest rating in history -- on these 2010s. Mimicking our thoughts and Parker's musings, Molesworth was brought to his knees by the voluptuous red fruit juiciness of this all too short vintage, all that raspberry opulence bracketed by almost Burgundian underpinnings.
As to Xavier Vignon, Parker would again rave about the super-enologist's lineup. Drawn from an 80-year-old parcel in the high ground of the appellation, the 2010 ancient Vacqueyras is deep ruby/purple. Infused with high-toned aromas of crushed raspberries and violets, the attack is a primary fruit, crushed red berry gumbo -- intense, opulent and vibrant. Parker suggests hanging onto this one until sometime in the early 2020s! If you have the patience, that sounds about right to us.
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Tasting Notes
2010 Xavier Vignon Vacqueyras
"Deep ruby/purple in color. Explosive aromatically with high-toned scents of crushed raspberries and violets. The attack is lush and primary, a crushed red berry gumbo -- intense and vibrant. Drink now for its luscious primary fruit bombast or age for up to a decade in a cool cellar."
-- WineAccess Travel Log
"The 2010 Vacqueyras may turn out to be even better. While it reveals more acidity and restraint, it also possesses a concentrated mouth feel. It, too, should drink well for 10 years."
90-93 points -- Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate
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