Château des Tours

### History Château des Tours sits within the appellation of Vacqueyras, one of the southern Rhône's more serious crus, wedged between Gigondas and the vast Côtes du Rhône sprawl. The estate is closely associated with the Reynaud family, the same family behind the celebrated Château Rayas in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and that connection is not incidental. Emmanuel Reynaud, who also stewards Rayas, has long been linked to Château des Tours, and the estate has benefited from the same low-interventionist philosophy that defines the family's approach across its properties. The Reynauds have held the estate for decades, though precise acquisition dates are not widely documented. What is clear is that Château des Tours produces wine across multiple appellations, including Vacqueyras, Côtes du Rhône, and occasionally labeled village or reserve cuvées, suggesting a range of vineyard holdings at different quality tiers.

### Vineyards The vineyards span Vacqueyras and surrounding Côtes du Rhône zones, with soils typical of this part of the southern Rhône: a mix of clay, limestone, and the sandy or gravelly alluvial deposits that appear at lower elevations. Grenache dominates, as it does across the appellation, though specific planting data for Château des Tours is not publicly detailed. The climate is unmistakably Mediterranean, with hot, dry summers moderated by the Mistral. Whether the estate farms organically or biodynamically is not confirmed in available documentation; the Reynaud family's broader reputation leans toward minimal intervention in both vineyard and cellar, but formal certification details are not established here.

### Winemaking The cellar approach at Château des Tours reflects the Reynaud family's preference for restraint. Wines are not heavily extracted or aggressively oaked, and the style across the range tends toward freshness and definition rather than sheer weight, which is notable given how hot the southern Rhône can run. The Vacqueyras Réserve is the estate's most prominent bottling and the wine with the clearest track record across vintages. The 2012, 2016, 2019, and 2020 all suggest a wine with genuine aging potential and a consistent house profile. The Côtes du Rhône Grande Réserve functions as a serious second tier rather than a simple declassification. Specific details on vessel type, aging duration, and yeast protocol are not widely published, but the wines themselves point to measured oak use and no heavy-handed manipulation.