Lirac & Tavel 2020: report and top-scoring wines
Despite loss of fruit due to frost and hail, Lirac and Tavel 2020 wines are fresh and focused, so if you're not already familiar, now is the time to get to know these wines.
On the 25th March there was a frost in the Southern Rhône. ‘It’s normal to have frosts then – it’s practically still winter,’ says Rodolphe des Pins of Château de Montfaucon.
Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for the top-scoring Lirac & Tavel 2020 wines
But when the vines have woken early, as they did in 2020, it can decimate the young buds.
The west bank was hit hard: Lirac lost around 30% of its crop, with Tavel and Laudun also affected. To add insult to injury, Lirac was then hit by a hailstorm.
Thankfully it was primarily quantity rather than quality that suffered and the resulting red Liracs have plenty of juicy berry fruit. Whites and rosés have the freshness of the vintage.
See the Rhône 2020 full vintage report and top-scoring wines
See all 400 Rhône 2020 tasting notes and scores
It’s an even better year for Tavel. The vintage has delivered freshness and focus, making for well-balanced, firm wines with moderate alcohol that will age with interest.
The best have more in common with pale reds than rosés and the new generation of winemakers here are producing some highly original wines.
If you haven’t tried Tavel for a while, now would be a good time.
Quick links
Southern Rhône report and top-scoring wines
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Lirac & Tavel 2020 key producers
Château de Montfaucon
Domaine d’Arbousset
Domaine de la Mordorée
Domaine des Carabiniers
Domaine Lafond
Moulin de la Viguerie
Lirac & Tavel 2020 top value wines
Domaine Castel Oualou, Blanc, Lirac, 2020
Domaine Lafond, Blanc, Lirac, 2020
Domaine les Carabiniers, Lunar Apogé Beige, Tavel, 2020
Domaine Maby, Prima Donna, Tavel, 2020
Château de Montfaucon, Lirac, 2020
Domaine Coudoulis, Dédicace, Lirac, 2020
See the Southern Rhône 2020 score table listing Matt’s top 88 wines scoring 94 points or above
See Matt’s top Lirac & Tavel 2020 tasting notes and scores:
Related content:
Rhône 2020 full report and top scoring wines
Northern Rhône 2020 full report and top scoring wines
Southern Rhône 2020 full report and top scoring wines
Château de Montfaucon, Vin de Madame la Comtesse, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2020
A little reserved in nature, not as expressive as the 2021. Nut butter on the nose, with a dab of honey. Honeysuckle and heady summer flowers, too. It's generous but not fat or oily, and moves fast in the mouth despite its generosity. It ends very dry and tight, on almond and macadamia.
2020
Château de MontfauconLirac
Domaine Lafond, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2020
Full-bodied, rich and fat on the palate, then neatens up on the finish with a nip of positive bitterness. Long finish, with some refreshing herbal notes and a subtle mineral extract. Plenty of energy to keep the wine moving.
2020
Domaine LafondLirac
Rocca Maura, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2020
This uses plentiful oak to give the wine some shape and cut. It's full-bodied, not overly fat, and ends on bright citrus. This is well-judged and makes for a food-friendly style of white Lirac. Likely to be a very good value option.
2020
Rocca MauraLirac
Domaine Moulin-la-Viguerie, La Combe des Rieu, Tavel, Rhône, France, 2020
Even with a good amount of white grape varieties in the blend, this wine is full of juicy raspberries, cherries, strawberries, with supple, intense black tannins and sour red berry acidity, complex notes from the oak of toast and coffee coming through on the finish. Lovely balance, starts off with one or two notes and builds up in complexity and concentration. Promises great ageing potential.
2020
Domaine Moulin-la-ViguerieTavel
Domaine Castel Oualou, Instant Rosé, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2020
Vibrant and zippy acidity allied with a bitter cherry note, bringing plenty of freshness to the wine. Cherry blossom, redcurrant and raspberry flavours last long into the finish. A successful Lirac rosé. Likely to be a very good value option.
2020
Domaine Castel OualouLirac
Domaine de la Mordorée, La Reine des Bois, Tavel, Rhône, France, 2020
Powerful, vinous, precise, energetic redcurrant and raspberry aromas. Full-bodied, rounded, generous and extremely fresh. A little dab of tannin adds welcome structure, as does the column of acidity. Old-vine Grenache (60%), Clairette (15%), Cinsault (10%), Syrah (10%) and Bourboulenc (5%). Grown organically on the galets roulés of the Plateau de Vallongue. All hand-harvested, 48 hours maceration then fermented in stainless steel.
2020
Domaine de la MordoréeTavel
Domaine des Carabiniers, Lunar Apogé Beige, Tavel, Rhône, France, 2020
Assertive red fruits, some blackberry even. Full-bodied, full of flavour, powerful and structured, typically and proudly Tavel with a long finish. Good freshness and focus. A wine first, a rosé second. Also contains 15% Clairette.
2020
Domaine des CarabiniersTavel
Domaine Lafond, Tavel, Rhône, France, 2020
Full-bodied and rounded, with a touch of blood orange to the redcurrant, raspberry and strawberry fruits. Long on the finish with good depth of flavour, it's ripe but with no heaviness. Powerful and structured rosé, very Tavel.
2020
Domaine LafondTavel
Domaine Moulin-la-Viguerie, Postérité 70, Tavel, Rhône, France, 2020
Dark orange in colour. There's a slight oxidative edge to this wine from the oak that brings in a new dimension of aroma: tobacco, cedar, dried orange rind. Full-bodied and generous on the palate from the oak. Tight, saline, zesty and finishing with a little whisky note. This will take on some burnt sugar flavours in time. An interesting experiment that won't be for everyone, but it's a characterful wine.
2020
Domaine Moulin-la-ViguerieTavel
Château d'Aqueria, Tavel, Rhône, France, 2020
Expressive watermelon and pear aromas. Fairly full-bodied even for a Tavel, this is rounded and generous on the palate, with low but balanced acidity and persistent fruits into the long finish. 45% Grenache, 20% Clairette, 15% Cinsault, 8% Mourvèdre, 6% Syrah, 4% Bourboulenc and 2% Piquepoul Blanc.
2020
Château d'AqueriaTavel
Domaine Maby, Prima Donna, Tavel, Rhône, France, 2020
Full-bodied, plenty of strawberry and raspberry flavours, a strong beam of acidity and a fresh, structured finish. Classic Tavel, very good.
2020
Domaine MabyTavel
Château de Montfaucon, Vin de Monsieur le Baron, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2020
The fruit is to the fore, with menthol and bay notes underneath; this is still exuberant post-bottling. It has a lovely sense of freshness, soft, melted tannins and expressive fruit, this is very appealing indeed. Great freshness and balance. A salty, mineral edge hits the finish, and the tannins have a slightly sharp profile, they enliven the palate. A big wine, highly impressive. Amazing combination of power, freshness, definition and drive. Bottled in spring 2022.
2020
Château de MontfauconLirac
Domaine des Carabiniers, Lunar Apogé Beige, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2020
Cherry, rose and raspberry, this is lightly extracted but so fresh and deliciously drinkable now. Bright acidity, squeaky clean red fruits with plenty of crunch. Tight, slightly chalky tannins. Great to drink young. Fresh, stemmy herbal hints add to the lift.
2020
Domaine des CarabiniersLirac
Domaine de la Mordorée, La Reine des Bois, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2020
Rounded, medium- to full-bodied style, the oak is well-judged and adds a little polish to the fruit. Good length and depth, ripe, with gently warming alcohol. Succulent and fresh, this is very enjoyable. Serious for a Lirac!
2020
Domaine de la MordoréeLirac
Domaine d'Arbousset, La Vigne d'Yvon, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2020
Violets and blueberries, this has really captured the essence of ripe, mature Grenache. Has those wet-clay tannins that dust the lips. Exuberant, fruity, fresh and well balanced. Good length.
2020
Domaine d'ArboussetLirac
Château de Montfaucon, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2020
Very lush in fruit, there's concentration without over-extraction. Intense drive on the palate, with tight and fresh tannins. This is still embryonic but has great potential, displaying balance, freshness and intense, chalky tannins.
2020
Château de MontfauconLirac
Domaine Maby, Nessun Dorma, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2020
Good intensity of blackberry fruit with a touch of liquorice; weighty and concentrated. A deep and substantial style of Lirac, which is accentuated by the use of oak. Intense yet fresh and vibrant, with chalky tannins.
2020
Domaine MabyLirac
Domaine de la Mordorée, La Dame Rousse, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2020
Lovely aromatics, there's a freshening herbal note among the blackberry and blackcurrant fruit. Vibrant on the palate, good acidity and crunchy berry fruit. Not long, but bright and with enjoyable length.
2020
Domaine de la MordoréeLirac
Domaine Lafond, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2020
Precise and bright, showing zingy fresh berry fruits, with a little menthol touch in the background. Plenty of grip, all well-defined with slender tannins. No great complexity promised perhaps, but enjoyable early drinking.
2020
Domaine LafondLirac
