Vineyards and winemaking
Les Hauts des Acantalys comes from hand-harvested Lirac vineyards on the Rhône’s right bank, where flat limestone slabs and rounded river pebbles store the warmth of the day. The 2020 is a blend of 58% Grenache Blanc, 28% Clairette and 14% Bourboulenc, combining breadth, fragrance and freshness.
Each variety is harvested and vinified separately to respect its individual ripening pattern. After a short period of skin contact, the grapes are pressed and the juice is transferred by gravity, settled and fermented under temperature control. Four months in barrel with regular lees stirring adds texture and gentle savoury complexity.
Tasting notes
Appearance
Bright gold with clear, luminous highlights.
Nose
Ripe citrus and lemon peel are joined by broom blossom, warm spice and a restrained note of vanilla.
Palate
Broad and textured, with ripe citrus fruit, a lightly roasted savoury note and gentle oak-derived spice. Grenache Blanc brings body, while Clairette and Bourboulenc give lift and definition, carrying the wine to a persistent, balanced finish.
Food pairing
Pair with roast monkfish and saffron potatoes, prawns with parsley and lemon butter, roast guinea fowl with thyme, or a mature Comté. Its combination of weight and freshness also suits a creamy leek and mushroom gratin.
Background story
Lirac was recognised as an appellation in 1947 and is one of the few Rhône crus to produce red, white and rosé wines. Its white wines remain comparatively scarce, making blends such as this a particularly distinctive expression of the limestone and pebble-strewn vineyards west of the river.
Vignerons de Tavel & Lirac was formed by the 2018 union of the neighbouring Tavel and Lirac cooperatives. Les Hauts des Acantalys is shaped as a more ambitious white Lirac, with hand harvesting, separate vinification and short barrel maturation bringing depth without sacrificing regional freshness.
