Competition! Wine is Bottled Poetry in Cairanne + Lirac

Cairanne and Lirac are two of the top appellations in the Côtes du Rhône in France. In fact, they are known as ‘Crus’, like Gigondas and Crozes-Hermitage, which is the very highest quality level in this region.

Cairanne, the gateway to the Southern Rhône, was the latest Côtes du Rhône appellation to be awarded ‘Cru’ status back in 2016, and Lirac was the first, in 1947. Despite their age gap, they are both excellent appellations to look to for superb quality and amazing value for money.

Both Cairanne and Lirac are known for their red wines, but they do produce a small about of white wines and only Lirac produces a smidgen of rosé (just 3%). Grape varieties for red wines are mainly Syrah, Grenache and Mourvédre (with some Cinsault too in Lirac) and white varieties are your Rhône classics, like Clairette, Roussanne, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc and Bourboulenc.

Look at Cairanne for silky, opulent, smooth reds with a peppery kick and elegant, aromatic whites with notes of lime, tropical fruits and white blossom. Lirac, being further south and warmer, is home to punchier, more robust reds, with powerful fruit and warming spice. The whites are more perfumed and intense here, but they still have a refreshing lift, making them extremely, extremely drinkable.

I tasted a selection of wines from Cairanne AOC and Lirac AOC at a tasting hosted by Helena Nicklin at God’s Own Junkyard in Walthamstow, an art store that creates neon lightbulb signs. They created a sign for Cairanne and Lirac that reads “Wine Is Bottled Poetry” - which you have a chance to win.

To enter this competition to win this awesome sign, just email me the answers to this question:

Which years did Cairanne and Lirac get their Côtes du Rhône Cru statuses? Answers in an email here.

This competition is not affiliated with Squarespace or Instagram in any way. Please be aware of scammers who might pretend to be me and ask for money! I will choose a winner by 31st August 2022.