Dom. Bertrand Stehelin VdP du Vaucluse Rouge '15

From high-elevation vineyards near Mont Ventoux, this Grenache-based field blend presents a bricking garnet hue. The maturing nose offers sous bois, leather, and preserved cherry aromas. The palate delivers surprising freshness—flavors of fig paste, black olive, and herbes de Provence unfold with resolved tannins that earned 92 points for their complexity. Aged 36 months in old foudres, this 14.5% alcohol red is drinking beautifully now with gigot d'agneau or civet de lièvre. The 2015 vintage's ideal conditions yielded uncommon longevity in this humble VdP—proof that in the southern Rhône, classification often matters less than vine age and terroir.