Natalie's Score: 92/100
Domaine Font Sarade Vacqueyras delivers concentrated aromas of blackberry, garrigue and licorice. It's dry and full-bodied with a velvety texture. Serve it at room temperature with slow-cooked BBQ ribs where the wine's smoky depth complements the char while its structure cuts through the sauce's sweetness, or cellar it through 2030. Winemaker Claire Burle, the fourth generation to lead this family estate, works alongside her father Bernard on their 37-hectare property situated on the Ponche plateau at the northern edge of Vacqueyras, where the domaine has bottled wine since 2002 after generations of selling bulk juice—they've grown from 2,000 bottles to over 130,000 today. This robust wine also shines with aged Comté cheese, where the wine's intensity matches the cheese's nutty complexity while its freshness balances the rich, crystalline texture.
Food pairings: aged cheeses, chateaubriand, BBQ ribs.
Natalie MacLean reviewed this Domaine Font Sarade Les Hauts de la Ponche Vacqueyras 2024 for the Vintages release