Lirac & Tavel 2019: Report and top scoring wines
There was surprise at the quality of Lirac and Tavel wines in 2019 given the hot vintage conditions with Matt Walls finding some very good whites and rosés.
Climatic conditions on the west and east banks were broadly similar in 2019, and the Gard appellations display a similarly ripe, opulent style to its neighbours in the Vaucluse.
Scroll down to see Matt’s top Lirac & Tavel 2019 tasting notes and scores
Rodolphe des Pins of Château de Montfaucon says ‘it’s a great vintage – I was a bit surprised, I thought it would be more unbalanced.’
Winemakers with old vines who adapted their approach to the season made concentrated, elegant wines that will offer great value for money.
There are some very good whites and rosés in Lirac this year, plump yet fresh. Tavel producers I spoke to were also surprised at how successful the vintage was given the circumstances, though I would drink them young rather than be tempted to age them this year.
Quick links
Individual appellation analysis and top-scoring wines:
Gigondas, Vacqueyras & Beaumes de Venise
Key producers in 2018
Château d’Aqueria
Domaine Coudoulis
Domaine la Lôyane
Château de Montfaucon
Les Vignobles Assemat
Value picks
Domaine Coudoulis Lirac rouge ‘Evidence’ 2019
Domaine la Lôyane Lirac rouge 2019
Château de Montfaucon Lirac rouge 2019
Château d’Aqueria Tavel 2019
Les Vignobles Assemat Lirac blanc 2019
Domaine Pelaquié Lirac blanc ‘Luc Pélaquié’ 2019
See Matt’s top Lirac & Tavel 2019 tasting notes and scores
See also
Rhône 2019 En Primeur: Full report plus top scoring winesNorthern Rhône 2019 report plus top scoring winesSouthern Rhône 2019 report plus top scoring wines
Château de Montfaucon, Vin de Monsieur le Baron, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2019
Ripe fruits on the nose, it's aromatic but the display is starting to close now I suspect – so drink early 2023 or wait. Full,...
2019
Château de MontfauconLirac
Château de Montfaucon, Lirac, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2019
No overextraction or excessive concentration here, just bags of beautifully pure berry fruit. Lovely sense of elegance. Really vibrant. Long finish. Tannins are grippy and...
2019
Château de MontfauconLirac
Domaine Coudoulis, Evidence, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2019
Smooth, concentrated, fresh berry fruits. This has a real sense of finesse to the tannins, it stands out among a lot of overextracted wines in...
2019
Domaine CoudoulisLirac
Domaine La Lôyane, Lirac Vieilles Vignes, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2019
Bright, floral style, more attractive than most Liracs this year. Fresh on the palate, lively, not overly heavy or extracted like some 2019s. Good acidity,...
2019
Domaine La LôyaneLirac
Domaine Pelaquié, Luc Pélaquié, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2019
The oak brings a little cashew note to the aromatics, a little honey glaze to the apricot fruit. Full-bodied, but not overly fat or silky....
2019
Domaine PelaquiéLirac
Les Vignobles Assemat, Réserve Syrah, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2019
Pleasing sense of purity on the nose, fresh berries, no overripeness. Plenty of ripe blackberry, raspberry, blackcurrant leaf. It has a good sense of balance...
2019
Les Vignobles AssematLirac
Domaine Roger Sabon, Lirac by Roger Sabon, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2019
91
Very pure, soft and flowing style. Lovely sense of freshness, purity and intense berry compote fruits. Long finish, rich in fruit and soft, squeezy tannins. The alcohol is gently warming, but not unbalanced. Velvety.
2019
Domaine Roger SabonLirac
Château d'Aqueria, Tavel, Tavel, Rhône, France, 2019
92
<p>Vibrant raspberry-red colour, as you’d expect from Tavel. Such lovely vibrancy on the nose – so much more vivid than an average pale rosé. Full-bodied, rich and opulent on the palate with great freshness and balancing acidity. Treat it more like a pale red than a rosé as it’s a versatile food wine. Bring it out of the fridge for 15 minutes before opening – it’s best drunk cool, not cold.</p>
2019
Château d'AqueriaTavel
Domaine de la Mordorée, La Reine des Bois, Tavel, Rhône, France, 2019
91
Deep pink. Some genuine intensity of aroma here: cherry, redcurrant and strawberry. Full-bodied, rounded and generous with plenty of weight on the mid-palate and a little fresh, sapid touch to the finish. Plenty of fruit into the length. Old vine Grenache (60%), Clairette (15%), Cinsault (10%), Syrah (10%), Bourboulenc (5%) grown organically on the galets roulés of the Plateau de Vallongue. All hand-harvested, 48 hours maceration then fermented in stainless steel.
2019
Domaine de la MordoréeTavel
Domaine des Carabiniers, Lunar Apogé, Tavel, Rhône, France, 2019
A lovely expressive nose; raspberry and a touch of blackcurrant. Really intense berry flavour with sappy berry acidity and finishes long. Lots of intensity, very...
2019
Domaine des CarabiniersTavel
