Lirac: Before Chateauneuf-du-Pape

                                         Lirac is a small wine region but has a great terroir

The wines of Chateauneuf-du-Pape have been a personal favorite of mine well before I first visited the area > twenty years ago.  Being a sort of history buff, I was enchanted not only with their wines but the fascinating history of the papacy moving in the 14^th century from Rome to Avignon, France.   (Chateauneuf-du-Pape translates to the “new chateau of the Pope.”)   But, recently I’ve become enamored with the contiguous wine district, Lirac.  Located just outside of Avignon, Lirac is across the Rhone River from Chateauneuf.

The Rhone, which separates the two, exerts a tremendous influence on both Lirac and Chateauneuf-du-Pape.  Lirac, which lies on the western side, was the premier wine district back when the Popes were looking for land to buy in the early 1300’s.  The Popes quickly ascertained that Lirac produced the finest wine in the region, however, there appeared to be no vineyards for sale.  Thus, the papacy purchased land on the eastern side of the Rhone…which today we know as Chateauneuf-du-Pape.  Soon the Pope’s vineyards were also producing excellent wines, but it was the Lirac wines that were coveted by the royalty of Europe for centuries.

                               Rocks left from the Rhone allow the grapes to fully ripen

Both Lirac and Chateuneuf-du-Pape have amazing terroirs.  The limestone soils of these regions are exceptional.  The Rhone River, which has changed course multiple times over the past millenniums, has deposited large stones (called galets) on both sides of the river.  These rocks act as a natural heating system, absorbing heat during the day and radiating it back to the vines during the cooler nights.  This is essential to the ripening of the grapes.  But the galets serve an additional purpose in that they promote excellent draining…a critical component in making world-class wines.  

The Popes moved their headquarters ultimately back to Rome nearly a century later, but Lirac and Chateauneuf-du-Pape remained formidable forces in the production of high quality wines until the 1800’s.   This is when Lirac committed a major faux-pas that destroyed most all of the vineyards in Europe.  A well-known Lirac chateau decided to experiment with new grape varietals and imported vines from America.   The American vines were on root-stalk that was resistant to the louse phylloxera, but the Lirac root-stalk on which the vines were grafted were not resistant.  Thus, began the viticultural pandemic that wiped out the vineyards of both Lirac and Chateaunuef-du-Pape, traveling across the continent and taking no prisoners.   Lirac has had a black eye ever since.

                       Phylloxera destroyed the vineyards of Europe in the late 19th century

If you can get past the phylloxera debacle you’ll probably love the wines of Lirac.  French in-the-know oenophiles, understand that these can be hidden treasure wines.  And, they can offer significantly better values than Chateauneuf-du-Pape which has soared in popularity…and price.   The following are some jewels from Lirac, listed in alpha order:  Duseigneur, Grand Veneur, Mont Redon, and Mordoree.

Coming with Wine-Knows on the Julia Child tour this June to Provence?  If so, you’ll be drinking red wines from a region that was around well before Chateauneuf-du-Pape.   That would be my faves from Lirac.