Côtes du Rhône Cru AOC Lirac

Climate: Mediterranean

Soils: Sandy / Limestone / Round stones

Website appellation: https://vin-lirac.com/

Production surface area in 2023: 841 HA

Total production in 2023:  29 267 HL

Average annual yeld: 35 HL/HA

Export: 43%

Recognition in AOC by the I.N.A.O.: 1947

Communes: Lirac, Roquemaure, Saint-Laurent-des-Arbres and Saint-Géniès-de-Comolas

• Bourboulenc, 
• Cinsault, 
• Clairette, 
• Grenache blanc, 
• Grenache noir, 
• Mourvèdre, 
• Roussanne, 
• Syrah 

• Carignan, 
• Clairette rose, 
• Counoise, 
• Grenache gris, 
• Marsanne, 
• Piquepoul blanc, 
• Piquepoul noir, 
• Roussanne, 
• Ugni blanc, 
• Viognier

Specifications for the appellation

Vines have been one of Lirac’s top assets for two thousand years. In the 16th century, its wines were already popular with the world’s nobility, and were served at royal courts in France and beyond. Evidence of this extravagant past still exists in the commune of Saint-Laurent-des-Arbres, a former enclave of the Avignon diocese. A vineyard grew here, belonging to the bishops. It was planted around the village castle, easily recognisable by its distinctive watchtower, and produced enough wine to send a tithe across to the other side of
the river, consisting of “five vessels of red wine, all filled to the brim.” In 1904, Count Henri de Régis de Gatimel inherited Château de Ségriès, and the estate still produces wine in Lirac today. In his day, the estate only grew cereal crops and bred silkworms; the vineyard was very modest in size. In 1925 Count Henri replanted the vineyard, just as it was in Roman times. Lirac became a Côtes du Rhône Cru on October 14, 1947.

Mediterranean influences with 2,700 hours of sunshine per year.

The vineyards are planted at both ends of the appellation, but mostly in Lirac itself, on the Gard’s classic limestone plateaus covered with a layer of red clay and pebbles. The terroir is free-draining, and produces powerful wines with well-structured tannins and good ageing potential. In the centre, at Saint-Laurent-des-Arbres, the vineyards lie on the Rhône’s ancient alluvial terraces, on soils of rounded quartz cobbles and red clay carried down from the Alps and deposited on a bed of sand. These magnificent terraces have the same Quaternary origins as Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Finally, the slopes on these terraces consist of sand mixed with small stones from successive landslides.
This is the type of terroir found in Saint-Geniès de-Comolas, whose red wines are more elegant and less tannic.

The Lirac appellation lies 15km north west of Avignon, on the right bank of the Rhône, across four Gard communes including Roquemaure, birthplace of the Côtes du Rhône, Saint-Laurentdes-Arbres and Saint-Géniès-de-Comolas.

Reds: Grenache noir, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault all give a deep, red colour, and aromas of red and black berries, garrigue and spice. As the wines age, these tend more towards leather, liquorice, truffle and cocoa. On the palate, they show a good balance of powerful tannins and classic Lirac body. Ageing potential is excellent.
Rosés: Grenache noir, Syrah and Cinsault show attractive strawberry, raspberry and red fruit flavours, and are smooth yet vibrant on the palate, and beautifully rounded. The finish is fresh with good intensity of flavour.
Whites: Made from Grenache blanc, Bourboulenc, Roussanne and Clairette, with the addition of Piquepoul, Marsanne and Viognier. Their colour is clear and bright, their aromas floral and fruity. Over time, the flavours mature to give notes of honey and garrigue herbs.