Reviews
Technical Details
- BlendRhone Blend
- WinemakerXavier Vignon
- CountryFrance
- RegionRhone Valley
- AppellationLirac
- Alcohol15%
Xavier Vins Lirac Rouge 2016 (Magnum 1.5L)
Like delicate, ethereal wines? Well, step aside. This wine is for the bold, the daring, the fiercely demanding lovers of intense fruit and spice, leather and tobacco, roasted Herbs de Provence, and the occasional, late-night sip of Fernet Branca.
Xavier Vignon has achieved what is oh-so-difficult in the wine world–embracing tradition while simultaneously pushing modernity to the forefront. The flavors of dark bramble berries and cherries explode out of the gate, with wafting aromas of oil-rubbed leather and softly smoldering sprigs of lavender, sage and thyme lingering behind. The finish is dry, intensely spiced and first-tracks-on-a-powder-day smooth. A veritable heavy weight’s punch with the footwork of a fly weight.
Xavier selects fruit from 12 separate plots in Lirac on alluvial clay soils covered with the region’s famous “galets roulés” stones just like neighboring Chateauneuf du Pape. He then co-ferments the grenache and syrah to enhance the wine’s aromatic complexity prior to aging for 12 months, 70% in concrete tanks and 30% in barrel. This is the perfect wine to have in magnum… saves you the step of immediately opening another bottle after sharing with a couple friends! The perfect grilling companion for all things bold, plus there's no better way to roll into a party than with a magnum of full-throttle red!
PAIRING IDEAS: Following Xavier’s own recommendation, this complexly spiced Moroccan Lamb Tagine will take the wine to even greater heights. And, just like a magnum, this dish is perfect to share!
MUSIC SUGGESTIONS: There’s just something about magnums and classical music. The orchestral composition of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini" is the perfect fit here.