Cairanne, another rising star cru in the Rhône
There’s been a lot of interest in the Rhône cru of Cairanne recently. It’s one of the crus capable of making wines with freshness and definition in a warm climate. I visited in March 2024 and came away impressed. This article is based on a tasting given at the The Decouvertes Vins Rhône festival in Avignon, by two young vignerons from Cairanne, Jean-Etienne Alary from Domaine Alary and Martin Lepoutre of Rabassa Charavin. I’ve supplemented this with tasting notes I took at the fair.
Cairanne has been a cru since 2015. There are 1088 hectares of vines that are allowed to make Cairanne, but only 850 hectares are currently producing it (some unplanted or young vineyards are excluded. Total volume is 30 000 hl per year.
There are four main terroirs. First, the flat part, terroir de garrigues. Then the terrace of Aygues on the other side of the river, with young alluvial soils, including small gravels and sands. Then the Coteaux, which is the main part of the cru, with a range of terroirs, with clay and sand combinations. And then the top of the hill, with red clay. Read more about the terroirs here.
Just 7% of the vineyards are white, with the rest in red. The whites, led by Clairette as a key variety, are quite impressive and the market is hungry for more of these. So we might see a shift in plantings with time.
The reds from Cairanne are known for their freshness, elegance and fine tannins. The vision of the new generation is to make wines that are fresh, says Martin. People are trying to make balanced wines. I’m all up for this!
THE WINES
REDS
Domaine Clos Romane Cairanne 2022
60% Grenache and 40% Syrah. Aygues. Unoaked. This is ripe and assertive with sweet berry fruits, showing lushness and depth with a bit of spicy framing. Some notes of cured meat and liquorice with a slight saltiness on the finish. 94/100
Château de Serre Blanc Cairanne 2022
Blue clay stone on the coteaux. Matured in concrete. Fresh and focused with bright raspberry and cherry fruit and nice brightness. Sleek with nice grainy structure under the cherry and berry fruit on the palate, with a nice tapering finish. Very stylish. 94/100
Maison Brotte Cairanne ‘Création Grosset’ 2021
This is aged in large-format oak. 60% Grenache then Carignan, Mourvedre and Syrah. Ripe and fresh with sweet cherry and berry fruit with some warm spicy notes sitting under the lush but balanced fruit. Mouthfilling and warming with nice intensity. Stony finish. 93/100
Pierre Amadieu Cairanne ‘Les Haut Rives’ 2022
60% Grenache, 25% Mourvèdre and 15% Syrah. There’s brightness and energy here with vivid juicy cherries and berries, as well as richer, lush blackberry fruit. Some olive savouriness, finishing brittle and a little firm. You get some of that spicy, slightly wild Mourvèdre character in the mix here. 92/100
Domaine Brusset Cairanne ‘Hommage à André Brusset’ 2022
60% Grenache, 40% Mourvèdre. Ripe, sweet and delicious with beautiful balance to the blackberry and black cherry fruit, with some wild herbs and olive notes. Powerful, rich but well balanced with nice intensity. Really nice spicy detail on the finish. 94/100
Domaine de l’Oratoire Saint Martin Cairanne ‘Réserve des Seigneurs’ 2021
Aged in tank. 60% Grenache Noir, 30% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah. This is supple and spice laden with hints of pepper and dried herbs with some juicy notes on the finish. Nicely textured with real precision and a fresh finish. Good energy. 93/100
Domaine Alary Cairanne ‘L’Estevenas’ 2022
Blue clay with some sand, a mixed terroir. 60% Syrah and 40% Grenache, 60% whole bunch. This is one of the oldest Syrah vineyards in the southern Rhône planted in 1961, with massal selection from Hermitage, known as Petite Serine. Infusion approach, and no oak. Beautiful aromatics of olives, meat and spice, with sweet red cherry fruit. Lush but balanced on the palate with black cherry and liqourice, and lovely sweet fruit. Ripe and delicious with lovely weight. 95/100
La Bastide Saint Dominique Cairanne ‘Les 2 Abres’ 2023
Ripe, chunky and vivid with some spicy detail. Nice berry and raspberry fruit, showing good intensity. 92/100
Cave de Cairanne Cairanne ‘Les Voconces’ 2022
Floral, peppery nose showing sweet cherry and berry fruits. Lovely peppery detail here: fresh, pure and vivid. 93/100
Domaine Martin Cairanne 2022
Leather and liquorice on the nose. Juicy, bright and tarry on the palate, made in a chunky sttle, but with nice fruit. 92/100
Cave de Cairanne Cairanne ‘Grande Reserve’ 2022
Supple, sweet and berryish with nice liquorice-laced raspberry and cherry fruit. Ripe but still has elegance. 93/100
Cellier des Princes Cairanne ‘Mas de Falaises’ 2022
Juicy, ripe and berryish with nice open fruit. Ripe with good definition. 91/100
Domaine des Escaravailles Cairanne ‘La Boutine’ 2022
Just Grenache. Nice savoury, stony edge to the bright cherry and berry fruit. Grainy and mineral, with nice balance. 93/100
Domaine Alary Cairanne ‘La Brunote’ 2022
Juicy and supple. Lively and open with cherry and berry fruit. Shows elegance and depth with a nice sour cherry twist. Really good. 93/100
Domaine des Espiers Cairanne ‘60/40’ 2022
Nice concentration and intensity here: fresh, sleek raspberry and cherry fruit with good brightness. Nice focus, showing good acidity. 94/100
Domaine Rabasse Charavin Cairanne 2022
Supple, juicy and round with nice freshness to the cherry and raspberry fruit as well as a bit of meat and pepper. Nice focus, with a bit of tannic grip. 93/100
Domaine de L’Arnesque Cairanne 2022
Sweet, juicy and spicy with nice intensity. Has some grip and vivid acidity. Good precision. 92/100
Famille Brotte Cairanne ‘Domaine Grossett’ 2022
Supple with some meaty, peppery hints and nice weight to the sweet cherry and plum fruit. Has spicy detail. 93/100
Constant-Duquesnoy Cairanne ‘Terra Rhona’ 2021
There’s a subtle savoury, meaty edge to the ripe cherry and plum fruit, and also a coffee note in the mix. Sweet cherry and plum fruit, with nice concentration. 91/100
Les Grandes Serres Cairanne ‘Haut Culture Lieux Dits Les Enregardes, Les Coustias, La Ridel’ 2021
Rich, ripe and sweetly fruited with concentrated raspberry and cherry fruit, as well as some strawberry richness, with pepper and liquorice complexity. So expressive. 96/100
Les Chemins de Sève Cairanne ‘Métamorphose’ 2019
Dense, ripe, sweet berry fruits with some dried herb notes. Rich and full. 91/100
Domaine Roche Cairanne 2023
Sleek, ripe, rich and broad with strawberry, cherry and raspberry fruit, showing nice texture and depth with fine-grained tannins. 93/100
Domaine Les Grands Bois Cairanne 2023
Bold, concentrated, meaty and broad with a wall of sweet berry fruits. Nice fine-grained structure with some peppery depth. 93/100
Domaine de Dionysos Cairanne ‘La Cigalette’ 2023
Meaty, spicy and rich with bold, dense raspberry and cherry fruit with a bit of grip. 92/100
Domaine Brusset Cairanne ‘Vieille Vignes’ 2023
Nice concentration with good density and notes of leather, liquorice and sweet cherry and raspberry fruit. Lovely peppery framing. 94/100
Domaine Boisson Cairanne ‘Les Trois Terroirs’ 2023
Sleek and ripe with nice density. Has vivid, well defined raspberry and cherry fruit with a twist of liquorice. 93/100
Domaine A. Berthet Rayne Cairanne ‘Vieille Vignes’ 2023
Supple and fresh with nice dried herb complexity, as well as some spice and juicy cherry and berry fruits, with a twist of pepper. Very appealing. 92/100
Château de Serre Blanc Cairanne 2023
Supple and bright with juicy red cherry fruit and some peppery notes. Nice elegance here with some nice tannic grip. Juice and taut. 92/100
Domaine Lucien Tramier Cairanne ‘Vent de Face’ 2024
Lovely peppery detail here with nice spiciness. Bold and ripe with sweet fruit, but nicely complex and detailed with notes of liquorice, dried herbs and charcoal. 94/100
WHITES
Domaine Rabasse Charavin Estevenas Cairanne Blanc 2023
85% Roussanne and 15% Clairette. This has lovely density and freshness, coupled with bold ripe pear, peach and apricot fruit. There’s a brightness and chalkiness here with lovely focus and a wide dynamic range. Richness and restraint at the same time. A complete wine. 94/100
Ogier La Confluence Cairanne Blanc 2023
Bright and vivid with nice pure, crisp fruit, showing pear and citrus with a touch of peachy richness. Nice fresh, pure, focused fruit here. Juicy and appealing. 89/100
Domaine Les Chemins de Sève Opale Cairanne Blanc 2022
Appley and lemony with some spicy oak in the mix. The oak dominates a bit at the moment. Focused and very fruity with nice energy, but the oak is getting in the way a bit at the moment, but this could integrate with time. 89/100
Domaine Alary Cairanne Blanc ‘L’Estevenas’ 2024
Clairette, Roussanne and Grenache Blanc. Bright and vivid with a nice citrus drive. Pure with good focus, and some fine spices on the finish. 92/100
Château de Serre Blanc Cairanne Blanc ‘L’Opale’ 2023
Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Clairette. Textured and quite powerful with some spicy woody notes under the lively citrus and pear fruit. Has a stony, mineral finish. 92/100
Domaine A. Berthet-Rayne Cairanne Blanc ‘Tradition’ 2024
Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Marsanne. Rich, honeyed and textured with lively fine spicy detail. Has some pear and peach richness. Stylish. 93/100
Les Chemins de Sève Cairanne Blanc ‘Opale’ 2022
Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Clairette. Woody, stony and vivid with a hint of creaminess, and then some stony detaul in the mix. Has a savoury edge. 89/100
Domaine Marcel Richaud Cairanne Blanc 2023
Bourboulenc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier and Clairette. Lovely texture and weight here with ripe pear and peach fruit with nice balance. Sleek, textural and mineral, and really fine. 94/100
