Chateau des Tours is a French wine producer located in the southern Rhône Valley appellation of Vacqueyras. The estate is owned by Emmanuel Reynaud who also owns the famed Château Rayas in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Domaine des Tours is perhaps best known in relation to these top estates and produces similarly crafted red and white wines from Vacqueyras, Côtes-du-Rhône, and Vaucluse. The domaine’s best fruit is used for Château des Tours Vacqueyras, a blend of around 95 percent Grenache with 5 percent Syrah.
The 40-hectare (100-acre) estate is farmed organically and centered on the production of old-vine Grenache. Other varieties planted include Cinsaut, Syrah, Merlot, Counoise, Grenache Blanc and Clairette with vines averaging 25 years old. Soils are composed of clay with slopes containing marne rock and a sandy topsoil.
Grapes are harvested later than most producers in the region and yields are kept low. Red wines are vinified and aged for up to two years in a mixture of stainless steel tanks and cement vats – some old oak casks are used for three to six months of aging.