Focus on Cairanne & Lirac: Two Côtes du Rhône Cru

Photo credit: Liam Dickson @dicksonliam

A look at two lesser known Côtes du Rhône ‘Cru’

Côtes du Rhône wine fans, listen up. Did you know that this fabulously reliable, versatile and value for money wine appellation (appellation means production area with rules) has different levels of brilliance? In this article, I explain the various quality levels of Côtes du Rhône wines, from the entry level Côtes du Rhône AOC, up through Côtes du Rhône-Villages AOC to the top of the tree: the very special, Côtes du Rhône ‘Cru’. 

In most Côtes du Rhône wines, the grapes are harvested from several villages. In the sixteen ‘Cru’ wines that exist however, the villages they are named after have been deemed so good that the grapes only come from there. I’ve talked about Rasteau AOC before here but it’s two of the other Cru that I got to wax lyrical about at a recent ‘Unexpected’ wine tasting: Cairanne AOC and Lirac AOC. Here’s what you need to know and a few to try. 

Photo credit: Liam Dickson @dicksonliam

Cairanne AOC and Lirac AOC

Cairanne and Lirac are the youngest and the oldest Cru in the Côtes du Rhône but they have a lot in common. First of all, they share an incredible community spirit, where winemaking is an integral part of just about everyone’s lives. Secondly, there is a huge focus on organic and sustainable farming, where the communities work together to ensure that the vineyards are still here and the wines enjoyed for generations to come. And thirdly, each appellation has a true love affair with its soils and ‘terroir*, knowing exactly what qualities each will give the final style of the wine. Sand? Well, that will add finesse. Large stone ‘galets’? Powerful wines! And chalk? It’s great for adding grip and tannins. 

Cairanne

Known as the gateway to the southern Rhone from the North, Cairanne is the newest talent in the Cru pool, achieving its Cru status relatively recently in 2016. Located on rocky, sunny hills just on the left (East) bank of the river and to the north west of Vaucluse, this single village makes up the entire Cairanne appellation. It’s not hard to imagine why when you discover the Mediterranean climate with lots of sunshine and the cooling, drying Mistral winds, which keep the vines so healthy. 

The wines of Cairanne

95% of the wines here are red, 5% are white and there is no pink at all! It stands to reason then that the reds are pretty serious. Favouring Syrah and lots of old vine Grenache and some Mourvèdre, the style of red wine here is full-bodied, velvety smooth, packed with red and black fruit and with a peppery finish. If you want to taste high class, classic, Rhône reds, Cairanne is where it is at. 

The smaller amount of whites are made with the classic, white Rhône grapes: Roussanne, Marsanne and Viognier as well as some Grenache Blanc and Bourboulenc. They make wines that are elegantly textured with aromatics of blossom, pineapple and lime. 

Lirac

Lirac is the oldest Cru, achieving its AOC Cru status in 1947. Located right down in the south of the appellation off the beaten track on the West (right) bank of the river, vines have been grown and appreciated here since ancient times. Despite its heritage though, this is no stuffy old region that ignores change; It’s the funky, wise-old man of the Rhone! Modern winemaking meets old traditions here in the best way and a new generation of producers are innovating all the time. 

The wines of Lirac

Lirac does make rosé wine, but not a huge amount. 87% of wines here are red, followed by 10% white and just 3% pink. The reds here are more powerful and round than those of Lirac with a kick of spicy red fruit. The whites here are beautifully intense, yet refreshing; perfumed and tropical with lots of acacia and apricot notes. The grapes used in Lirac are the usual suspects: Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre with a whack of Cinsault in places for the reds and for whites, Clairette, Roussanne, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc and Bourboulenc.

Unlike Cairanne, Lirac uses grape from across four communes in the Gard with exceptional terroirs including  Roquemaure, Saint Laurent-des-Arbres and Saint-Géniès-de-Comolas. 

Try these wines from Cairanne and Lirac to get a feel for both Cru:

Cairanne White: Domaine Berthet-Rayne, Castel- Mireio Blanc 2018

A full blend of Viognier, Clairette, Roussanne, Marsanne, Bourboulenc and Grenache, this is an elegantly complex wine with stunning, peach blossom aromatics and a lovely weight to it. Perfect with poultry and creamy sauces. 

Find it at Carte du Vin for £17.75

Lirac white: Chateau d’Aqueria Blanc 2019

Château d’Aqueria is most famous for its dark pink wines from neighbouring Tavel but it chose Lirac for its whites. Another blend of all the key white grapes, this is an exotic white with an intoxicating, floral aroma. Rich in flavour but not heavy, this is an ideal wine for food, especially nutty hard cheese or creamy, cow's milk cheese. 

Find it at Old Bridge Wines for £18

Cairanne Red: Domaine Roche Cairanne, 2019

Rich in fresh, dark fruit flavours with hints of spice, cedar and thyme, this is a silky, food-friendly red that’s fantastic value for money. A blend of Grenache, Syrah and Carignan from vines in conversion to becoming biodynamic, Domaine Roche is a name to watch. 

Find it at Lea and Sandeman for £18.95 

Lirac Red: Lirac, Les Closiers, Ogier 2019

For the money, this red really over delivers. Think powerful, bramble fruit with baking spice and fresh pastry notes. It’s bold and velvety, yet not at all austere. Made with a blend of  Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and a splash of Cinsault, this has Christmas and Sunday roasts all over it. 

Find it at M&S for £10 a bottle when bought as a six.

Want a beginner’s guide to the Côtes du Rhône? Click here!

Rasteau: Your New Go-To Winter Red!

Words by Helena Nicklin

What have Harry Styles, Robbie Williams and Rasteau AOC wine got in common? 

You may have seen our One Minute Wine Ace piece on Côtes du Rhône recently, which likens this much-loved, southern French blend to a famous boy band, where each grape brings a particular personality to the mix. Well if Côtes du Rhône is the One Direction or Take That of wine, then Rasteau AOC is Harry Styles or Robbie Williams; the charismatic one gone solo to forge a brilliant career of their own. 

Located in the south-facing hills of France’s southern Rhône Valley, Rasteau was one of the 22 named villages forming part of the acclaimed ‘Côtes du Rhône Villages AOC’ appellation until its status was promoted further in 2010, elevating it to ‘Cru’ status with an AOC in its own right. AOC stands for Appellation d’Origine Controllée, which is a wine producing area with strictly controlled rules aimed at preserving quality. AOC is a step up from being a single part of Côtes du Rhône Villages AOC and Rasteau winemakers are deservedly very proud of their burgeoning solo career.

What is Rasteau AOC wine like? Christmas cake in a glass!

AOC Rasteau is for red, still wines only from approved parcels of vines. These reds are full-bodied and rich with concentrated bramble fruit, violet and cooking spice aromas and flavours along with spirity, dried fruit notes. They must be made with at least 50% Grenache which thrives in the poor soils of Rasteau, especially from the old vines there. Syrah and Mourvedre must also form at least part of the blend, but not more than 50%. Other southern French varieties such as Carignan may also be added to the blend for structure too.

It’s an appellation to get to know because it’s from that beautifully reliable part of France that makes rich, but not over-blown reds that are very accessible; a region for ‘every day hedonists’ like us, with wines that drink well when young, vibrant and fruity as well as being able to age impressibly well. The same can be said for Harry Styles, in case you were wondering.

Rasteau Wine Food Match

The rollicking reds of Rasteau were made to go with food. They love it and are so versatile! Whether it’s meat, from game to beef stew, cheese, cold cuts, grilled veg or even, dark chocolate fondant and lightly spiced Asian cuisine, Rasteau can handle a lot of flavours.

Why do I think Rasteau is sweet wine?

A fair question, as sweet wines in Rasteau go back a long way! In the 18th century, when the area under vine here was the largest in the Vaucluse, naturally sweet wines were the order of the day though there were dry wines too. After the phylloxera epidemic which decimated vineyards, Rasteau winemakers went back to producing naturally sweet wines, a.k.a. Vins Doux Naturels, or VDNs around 1935. You may also have heard of AOC Rasteau Rancio; a sticky brown VDN that has been exposed to oxygen and light in wooden barrels for up to two years. This new wave of post-war, sweeter wines were lauded enough to be granted their own AOC status while the dry wines of the village itself continued simply as part of the Côtes du Rhône appellation. It wasn’t until 1966 that the dry, still, red wines began to catch up, being elevated to ‘Côtes du Rhône Villages’ status, before earning their AOC ‘Cru’ status just ten years ago in 2010, effective from the 2009 vintage. 

Is Rasteau wine expensive?

The beauty of Rasteau is that it can feel hedonistic and indulgent, but doesn’t have to break the bank. You can get some very drinkable, easy-going Rasteau wines from around £10 but equally, if you want to go more premium for a special occasion or a gift, there are some seriously smart ones too. Below is a selection of hand-picked Rasteaus (Rasteaux?!) that cover all bases. Pop the cork and pour yourself a slice of Christmas cake...

Rasteau Tasting Tour

Domaine Escaravailles ‘La Ponce’, Rasteau 2017

A fabulously rich, fruity and well-structured wine with spice and a good bit of age on it. For the price, it’s a steal! Quite high in alcohol, so definitely one for those wintery meat stews or roast beef.

Find it for £9.99 from The Wine Society

M. Rasteau, Chapoutier, 2019

A youthful, concentrated and relatively simple red (in a good way), with vibrant forest fruit notes and a hint of spice. Lovely alone or with charcuterie and cheese.

Find it for £13.78 from gourmethunters.com

Rasteau 'L'Andéol', Famile Perrin, 2017

Made from 70-year-old vines by arguably the most famous family in the Rhone Valley, the Grenache and Syrah shine here with notes of dried herbs, dark plum and some ripe red fruit. Voluptuous and silky, this stands out in its price range. Another big food wine or one for by the fire.

Find it for £14.99 (mix six price) at Majestic

Chateau de la Gardine, Rasteau 2017

The one in the very quirky bottle! No, your eyes do not deceive you and neither will your palate. Big, bold and well-structured, this wine is showing its tannins, which are softening beautifully with age. Leathery and peppery, with notes of dark cherry, damson and violet, I’d have it with cheese or meat and get it in a decanter to air for a while before drinking. You will be rewarded!

Find it for £17.95 from Gerrard Seel

Domaine La Luminaille, Rasteau ‘Luminaris’, 2017

Find it for £19.99 from winebuyers.com

Côtes du Rhône: Boyband of wine

Words by Helena Nicklin

Côtes du Rhône wine is many people’s go-to, comforting red wine style but they are not all created equal. Here’s what you need to know with a tasting tour to help you discover...

Where?

The Rhône Valley is a large wine region in the south of France that runs for over 200Km, following the Rhône river, from Lyon to Avignon and beyond. Given the vastly different landscapes from North to South, Rhône Valley wines are split stylistically into two: 

• The North: from Vienne to Valence, focussing on mainly Syrah for the reds and Viognier for the whites. 

• The South: ostensibly from Montélimar to Avignon and much wider than the North, its focus is more on blends: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre largely for the reds and Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Marsanne for the whites.

Four quality levels

There are four quality levels of Rhône Valley wine, each naturally going up in price:  

Côtes du Rhône AOC: This first level is the largest and covers the whole of the Rhône valley, though around 90% of production comes from the South. It produces almost as much wine as Bordeaux and is focussed on red blends, though there are a few whites and pinks made (2 - 4% of production). Côte’ means ‘bank’, so these are wines made with grapes grown on the banks of the Rhône river.

Côtes du Rhône Villages AOC: Superior in quality to Côtes-du-Rhône AOC with stricter winemaking rules. It’s the second largest appellation in the Rhône.

Côtes du Rhônes Villages + named village AOC: A further step up in quality with even stricter rules and twenty villages have dispensation to write their names on the labels. These names are Rousset-les-Vignes, Saint-Pantaléon-les-Vignes, Valréas, Visan, Saint-Maurice, Rochegude, Roaix, Séguret, Sablet, Saint-Gervais, Chusclan, Laudun, Massif d'Uchaux, Plan de Dieu, Puyméras, Signargues, Gadagne, Sainte-Cécile, Suze-la-Rousse and Vaison-la-Romaine. 

The ‘Crus’: Recognised just by their village names, these ‘cru’ are allowed to miss off the ‘Côtes-du-Rhônes Villages’ bit on the label entirely. There are 8 cru AOCs in the North: Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu, Château-Grillet, Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage, Cornas and Saint-Péray. In the South, there are 9 and they are Vinsobres, Rasteau, Cairanne, Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Beaumes-de-Venise, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Tavel, Lirac. 

The Key Rhône Grapes - the Boyband of Wine styles

The star grapes of the Rhône Valley are Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre for the reds and Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne for the whites. In the North, the reds are dominated by smoky, savoury Syrah, whereas in the South, wines are usually blends, led by juicy Grenache, then Syrah and Mourvedre, though there are several other red and white grapes permitted. 

Put another way, these Rhône blends are a bit like a boyband, where each key member has been carefully chosen for their particular qualities (and there may be some backing singers on certain tracks). Grenache comes first: the cute, approachable one. Think homemade strawberry jam and liquorice sticks. Syrah comes next: he’s the complex, brooding type who probably writes all the lyrics. Think grilled meat with fresh herbs, pepper and violets. Mourvedre is the party animal of the group. Full-on and full-bodied, he’s unsubtle, rugged and savoury but instantly fanciable. Put them together and the result is harmonious. #Vinalogy.

TASTING TOUR

Côtes du Rhône

Try: Les Dauphins Côtes du Rhône, £8 from Tesco.

Classic, easy going style with juicy, summer fruits and a peppery kick. Excellent value.

Côtes du Rhône Villages

Try: Château de Ruth Côtes du Rhône Villages, Grande Sélection, £10 from COOP .

Available in store, this gorgeous, concentrated, brambly and wild strawberry scented red has had a fabulous label upgrade too so it looks as good as it tastes. 

Côtes-du-Rhône Villages + village name

Terroir Daronton Seguret, Côtes du Rhône Villages. £9.75 Waitrose

A seriously decent, easy drinking CDR with a cool salinity that makes it a great match for cold cuts. 

Cru Red

Arc du Rhône Gigondas, £16.95 from Ocado

Grenache-led with some Syrah and Mourvedre, this is inky and rich with spicy, grilled meat notes and ripe, red fruit that balances it all up. Needs food! 

Cru White

Condrieu, Tardieu-Laurent 2016, £39.95 from Corney and Barrow

Whites don’t get more creamy and luscious than this. Beautifully floral and unctuous with notes of caramelised apricots and white chocolate. Heaven!

If you liked this, try One Minute Wine Ace: Pinot Noir, One Minute Wine Ace: Sauvignon Blanc,