Xavier Vignon Lirac 2020 (Rhône) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is the follow-up to the excellent 2019 Xavier Vignon Lirac that I enjoyed nearly three years ago. This latest vintage arrived at the LCBO as part of last month's September 21 LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.

It is produced by Xavier Vins, a wine label that was established towards the end of the 20th century by celebrated French winemaker Xavier Vignon. The story begins while Xavier was studying in the faculty of pharmacy in the Champagne capital of Reims when he caught the wine bug thanks to a chance encounter with an oenologist. This encounter led to Xavier gaining valuable experience at several Champagne houses and was the beginning of his journey into the world of winegrowing and producing wine.

Today, Xavier Vignon is known for using his expertise in blending and deep understanding of terroir to produce high-quality wines from the Rhône Valley. The philosophy at Xavier Vignon is to use an unusual, original, and creative approach that combines daring with inspiration. His time in Champagne and Bordeaux left a lasting impression on him, with strong values in the freedom of blending and the notion of beginning with an idea before embarking on the creation of the wine. Furthermore, each year is different and a source of surprise. The art of blending different grape varieties imparts complexity to the wine, while also enhancing the terroir. As a means to achieve this philosophy, Xavier Vignon has a wide range of ingredients at his disposal, such as grapes, terroirs, parcels, exposures, altitudes, stainless steel, concrete, and wooden receptacles.

With Xavier's deep knowledge of each and every part of the Rhône Valley, he is able to start by selecting a soil, a parcel, and a varietal with the aim of creating the most loyal and harmonious composition possible. Wines are always the result of contrary or complementary unions, and by bringing together these different entities, it provides the opportunity for the best possible result. Therefore, each cuvée is a unique experience that is an expression of vintage, varietal or terroir. It is also a source of emotion that is guided by the pleasure of sharing, and an invitation to not only dream, but also to better understand those landscapes which Xavier holds close to his heart. Xavier Vignon strives to capture this little part of the southern Rhône in the bottle, to encapsulate all of its aromas, colours, and textures, with the ultimate goal of making people happy.

While the previous vintage was predominantly Grenache, the 2020 vintage is a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah. This cuvée was crafted using grapes from the heart of the Lirac appellation, one of the most southern Crus of the Rhône Valley and covers the best soils of four communes in the Gard. The grapes come from a selection of 15 parcels within the appellation that are mainly made up of rolled pebbles and clay soils. In the vineyard, the grapes were pruned using the goblet pruning method, which helps limit the sugar content and preserves freshness. In a sunny vintage such as 2020, goblet pruning allows natural acidity to be maintained. Upon determining the harvest dates by daily measurement of polyphenols in the berries, the grapes were manually harvested. It was fermented at a moderate temperature to favour soft diffusion of flavour compounds using 100% free-run juice, with extraction by gravity. All the Grenache was vinified and matured in concrete tanks. Meanwhile, 30% of the Syrah was matured in unheated Allier and Vosges barrels for 12 months, with the remainder matured in concrete tanks.

From an excellent growing season that delivered wines of finesse and elegance, let's see how this 2020 Lirac red from the southern Rhône Valley is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

XAVIER VIGNON LIRAC 2020 - AP, Rhône, France (#636183) (XD) - $23.95
Mostly aged in concrete tanks, this blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah has a ripe and spicy medium-high intensity nose that offers lovely black & red cherry, peppery spice, blackberry, and stony mineral aromas with touches of floral and oak spice. The dry, medium-full bodied palate shows elegance and finesse with delicious black raspberry, red & black cherry, peppery spice, and mineral flavours, joined by meaty and floral touches that add complexity. It's well-supported by juicy, well-balanced acidity and smooth, fine-grained, and well-structured tannins. It's nicely balanced throughout with savoury mineral notes lingering on the long, gently chalky finish, with excellent length. Enjoy this highly recommended buy over the next 5+ years. Score: 90+ pts

Several lovely wines by Xavier Vignon are available at the LCBO, while the entire range can be ordered through their Agent - Noble Estates Wines & Spirits.