Lirac & Tavel 2022: report and top-scoring wines
Discover Matt Walls' recommendations for Tavel and Lirac wines to seek out in 2022.
Lirac
On top of drought and intense heat in 2022, the west bank of the Rhône also had to deal with hail, which caused localised damage.
The reds in Lirac are very concentrated this year, sometimes overripe or sternly tannic. The whites and rosés based on Clairette tend to be the most vibrant.
Scroll down to see tasting notes and score for top Lirac & Tavel 2022 wines
See all 400 Rhône 2022 tasting notes and scores
Rhône 2022 full vintage report and top-scoring wines
Southern Rhône 2022 full vintage report and top-scoring wines
Tavel
It’s not a terribly fresh year for Tavel either, but standards are improving here, with a new generation producing increasing numbers of wines with character and personality.
Individual appellation analysis on:
Châteauneuf-du-Pape | Gigondas, Vacqueyras & Beaumes de Venise | Rasteau, Cairanne & Vinsobres
Rhône 2022 score tables:
All top Rhône 2022 score table
Top-scoring southern Rhône 2022
Top-scoring northern Rhône 2022
Top-scoring Rhône 2022 red wines
Top-scoring Rhône 2022 white wines
Lirac & Tavel 2022 key producers:
- Château de Manissy, Tavel
- Domaine des Carabiniers, Tavel
- Domaine Lafond, Tavel
- Château de Montfaucon, Lirac
- Domaine de Castel Oualou, Lirac
Lirac & Tavel 2022 top value wines:
- Rocca Maura, Lirac Blanc 2022
- Château de Manissy, Langoustière, Tavel 2022
- Prieuré de Montézargues, Tavel 2022
Matt Walls’ top-scoring Lirac & Tavel 2022 wines:
See below all of the Tavel and Lirac wines from the 2022 en primeur report.
Related articles
- Walls: Tavel and its unexpected revolution
- Guigal acquires Tavel rosé estate Château d’Aqueria
- Walls: Tasting Château de Montfaucon – ‘Lirac’s finest wines’
Château de Manissy, La Belle Etoile, Tavel, Rhône, France, 2022
Pale red in colour. Some slight reduction but still assertive aromatics: strawberry, pomegranate and cranberry. This has a lovely fresh mouthfeel, there are little herbal...
2022
Château de ManissyTavel
Château de Manissy, Langoustière, Tavel, Rhône, France, 2022
Dark pink. Strawberry hard candy on the nose and palate, it has an assertive, powerful presence on the tongue, a touch of fine tannin, generous,...
2022
Château de ManissyTavel
Domaine Lafond, La Relève, Tavel, Rhône, France, 2022
A dark pinky-purple colour. A savoury, slightly herbal-scented style with a dry finish. An insistent rosé, more like a pale red really, with a little...
2022
Domaine LafondTavel
Château de Manissy, Cuvée Trinité, Tavel, Rhône, France, 2022
A peculiar wine, certainly fresh, with a little touch of fine tannin. Straight, focused, refreshing, with good acidity and energy. It’s very vinous, highly individual....
2022
Château de ManissyTavel
Domaine des Carabiniers, Lunar Apogé Beige, Tavel, Rhône, France, 2022
Pale orange/red colour. Full-bodied, with a touch of blood orange bitterness. Acidity is low, but the wine nonetheless has some impact, tension and precision. An...
2022
Domaine des CarabiniersTavel
Domaine Lafond, La Vau et Clos, Tavel, Rhône, France, 2022
Dark pink. Has a touch of tannin, this is more of a clairet than a rosé. The acidity is adequately balanced, and it finishes dry....
2022
Domaine LafondTavel
Prieuré de Montézargues, Tavel, Rhône, France, 2022
This is very good, immediately expressive on the nose and palate. There’s good acidity and concentration, it feels very Tavel. Slightly raised alcohol perhaps, but...
2022
Prieuré de MontézarguesTavel
Château de Montfaucon, Vin de Madame la Comtesse, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2022
Has some power and vinosity, with subtle fennel and aniseed notes. Long, with an inner freshness despite the low acidity. Slight waxy note, and a...
2022
Château de MontfauconLirac
Domaine de Castel Oualou, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2022
Full-bodied and aromatic style of white Lirac, this has bold stone fruit flavours and plenty of concentration. Big but fresh, powerfully flavoursome without potent alcohol....
2022
Domaine de Castel OualouLirac
Rocca Maura, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2022
Aromatically discreet, but this is fulsome and cooling on the palate, with a gently creamy texture. The oak adds some shape and salinity. Interesting, very...
2022
Rocca MauraLirac
Château d'Aqueria, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2022
Star fruit and pear notes, this feels quite early-picked, so not terribly deep, but there’s good freshness and acidity. Well balanced, with moderate alcohol. A...
2022
Château d'AqueriaLirac
Château de Montfaucon, Baron Louis, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2022
Damson and prune fruit, it's towards the overripe in fruit, but the tannins are much better managed here than anywhere else in 2022. More precision...
2022
Château de MontfauconLirac
Domaine de Castel Oualou, Réserve Syrah, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2022
Lovely lifted spicy freshness. Full-bodied, really quite luxurious in texture, with juicy blackberry pâte de fruit. Very well balanced and satisfyingly fruity. Good value.
2022
Domaine de Castel OualouLirac
Château de Montfaucon, Vin de Monsieur le Baron, Lirac, Rhône, France, 2022
Silky, full-bodied, concentrated, but the tannins, though robust, are more in balance with the wine compared to many 2022 Liracs. Still quite leathery, but long...
2022
Château de MontfauconLirac
