The 2015 Vacqueyras Cuvee Jean Marie Arnoux is a beautiful, classy effort that offers lots of Provencal character in its sweet red and black fruits, charcuterie, smoked herbs and spicy aromas and flavors. I love it’s overall balance, and I suspect it will be a terrific value.

The 2014 Vacqueyras Cuvee Jean Marie Arnoux is 65% Grenache, 30% Syrah and the rest Mourvèdre and it was partially destemmed and aged in tank. Medium-bodied, firm and a touch dry, it has savory notes of red fruits, dried herbs and graphite. I suspect it’s best enjoyed over the coming 3-4 years.

Along the same lines and decidedly gulpable, the 2012 Vacqueyras Jean-Marie Arnoux is a destemmed blend of 70% Grenache, 25% Syrah and 5% other permitted varieties, that was aged 12 months in foudre. It gives up pretty spice, cedar, truffle and sappy herb-like qualities intermixed with sweet red fruits. Medium-bodied and lightly textured, with moderate concentration and solid focus, it is an elegant, possibly outstanding, effort to drink over the coming 4-5 years. This large estate produces a bevy of rich, fruit-forward efforts that remain more than reasonably priced. Looking at the 2011s, this is a solid vintage here and the wines make the most of the vintage, with upfront fruit and texture. Importer: Grape Expectations, Raleigh, NC; tel. (919) 781-1655

The 2011 Vacqueyras Jean-Marie Arnoux (a foudre-aged blend of 70% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre and 5% other varieties) gives up a traditional seeming array of underbrush, spring flowers, saddle leather and sweet berry fruit to go with a soft, supple profile on the palate. It won’t make old bones, but is a delicious effort to drink over the coming 4-5 years. This large estate produces a bevy of rich, fruit-forward efforts that remain more than reasonably priced. Looking at the 2011s, this is a solid vintage here and the wines make the most of the vintage, with upfront fruit and texture. Importer: Grape Expectations, Raleigh, NC; tel. (919) 781-1655

I loved the 2010 Vacqueyras Jean-Marie Arnoux, which is 70% Grenache, 25% Syrah and 5% Mourvedre aged six months in large wood foudres. It exhibits a dense purple color and a more evolved style than most 2010s, with lots of forest floor, underbrush, spring flowers and blue and black fruits. Dense and luscious with sweet tannin and decent acidity, it should drink well for 5-6 years. (Not yet released) With over 100 acres in Vacqueyras, this is a large estate making at least seven separate Vacqueyras cuvees. They all reveal a family style, and are consistently well made efforts although not among the finest in the appellation. Prices are very reasonable across the board except for their top cuvee, the 1717, which costs three times more than its siblings. Importer: Grape Expectations, Raleigh, NC ; tel. (919) 781-1655