Vaccarese is a red wine variety native of the Rhone Valley in France, although minimally grown in this area. Outside of France, it is still grown in extremely limited quantities, but is also called Brun Argente. This translates to “brown silvery”, a direct reference to the Vaccarese grape’s muddled brown skin coloring and silvery tinted leaves. Vaccarese produces large bunches comprised of similarly large berries, cylindrical in shape. It can be prone to botrytis. The wine produced from Vaccarese is a light-bodied red with aromatic properties. Vaccarese will display flavors of red berry, pepper, spice, and floral notes. When blended with Grenache, it allows for refinement and produce an elegant and fresh wine. Vaccarese is allowed for use in Chateauneuf du Pape blends, but unfortunately is seldom included because of the generally sparse plantings.