Buy Lirac Wines
All our winemakers in LiracSince 1947, the new AOC Lirac has been the first Côtes du Rhônes wine to produce wines in three colours: red, white and rosé. But the story of the Lirac does not begin here. Indeed, for two millennia, the vine has been an integral part of the local landscape and its terroir. Lirac wines are indeed present on all the tables of the great wines of the time in France such as
abroad. This was made possible thanks to the port of Roquemaure, which over the centuries has become a very important place for river trade. Thus, very early on, thanks to this port, the wines of the Côte du Rhônes were able to leave for England and Holland and make a name for themselves in the capital.
The AOC Lirac covers 600 hectares of vineyards spread over four communes in the Gard department: Lirac, Roquemaure, Saint-Geniès-de-Comolas and Saint-Laurent-des-Arbres. In this region, the climate is Mediterranean and more particularly Rhodanian. This climate is characterized by fairly light and irregular rains and significant sunshine with hot and dry summers. The annual temperature is about 14 degrees.
The vineyard is located on plateaus and on the gentle slopes of the right bank of the Rhône. The soils of this region are ideal for creating exceptional wines that age well. The vines flourish on the four best parcels of four municipalities that can claim the appellation, both on soils rich in limestone with excellent drainage and on sandy terraces covered with rolled pebbles.
The specifications of the Lirac appellation are one of the most demanding in the region. There are indeed many codes to respect in order to have the right to bear Lirac's name. In particular with regard to the grape varieties used and the proportions of vines planted. White Lirac is mainly composed of the following grape varieties: white grenache, clairette and Bourboulenc, while black Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault are found in red and rosé Lirac. The other rules to be respected also concern winemaking. AOC Lirac must be vinified in vats or oak barrels for example.
The tasting phase will delight you with the elegance, charm and personality offered by these wines. To the eye, you can see that the colour of the reds can take on several shades ranging from deep ruby to garnet red. The rosé wines have a colour that changes from soft pink to ruby. Finally, whites have greenish yellow tints when they are young and gold when they are a little older. The second phase of the tasting will reveal an intense and very floral bouquet with small vegetal notes for the whites, aromas of red fruits and fines for the rosés. Reds have aromas that evolve over time. Young, they have notes of stone fruit and red fruit and over time, they develop notes of leather, undergrowth and liquorice. Finally, in the mouth, the red Lirac reveals its full potential after a few years because the tannic and aromatic power will then be at their peak. They are also recognizable by their characteristic fullness and roundness. Rosés have a balance between liveliness and smoothness. The whites combine both roundness and freshness.
But what about food and wine pairings? The bunches advise you to taste the red wines with red meats such as steak, game or duck. White wines will go very well with seafood risotto, grilled fish or cheeses such as comté and chèvre. Finally, rosés will be perfect with all Mediterranean cuisine such as paella or moussaka for example.