The village of Gigondas, a few miles to the northeast of Chateauneuf at the foot of the Dentelles de Montmirail, was the first Cotes du
Rhone-Villages wine to win its own appellation, with nearby Vacqueyras the next to be so recognized. Like
Chateauneuf du Pape, red wines from both of these villages are blends based on
Grenache. Gigondas is typically more fruity and more supple than Chateauneuf du Pape, with wines from favored sites at the base of the hillside often showing a vibrant stony character. Vacqueyras is typically a more rustic variation on the Gigondas theme--chunkier and less aromatically complex but satisfyingly spicy, peppery, and ripe in the best years.
