The Vaucluse IGP lies in the heart of the Southern Rhone and is home to famed AOC's like Chateauneuf du Pape, Vacqueyras, and Ventoux. The IGP (another name for Vin de Pays) gives growers more flexibility to experiment with other grape varieties and winemaking techniques that fall outside of the AOC-level appellation requirements. This freedom to "play around" with new grapes (and old ones) is leading to some fantastic wines and great values like this one.
Grenache and Syrah are commonly seen in the reds of Southern France, but a grape you'll be seeing a lot more of is one called Caladoc. The grape originally came into existence in 1958 by crossing Grenache with Malbec. The variety's natural resistance to coulure (aka shatter or poor fruit set) combined with its high phenolic levels and desirable aromas and flavors make it a grape that more and more growers throughout Southern France are relying upon.
Fermented in stainless steel and concrete vats. The nose is a nice mix of strawberry with darker shades of black cherry, cassis, exotic spice, black pepper, and earth. Equally lovely on the palate, the flavors are a continuation of the aromas, and the texture is soft and smooth. Medium to full-bodied, balanced, and quite easy to drink, this is a crazy good value for Southern Rhone.