Crafted from a blend of 74% Grenache, 24% Syrah, and 2% Mourvèdre, this wine hails from 55- to 65-year-old vines planted in the galets roulés of the Lirac plateau.
Careful selection during multiple vineyard passes yielded exceptional, albeit limited, fruit. With four weeks on the skins, the grapes revealed their full expression.
The Essen blend was aged for 12 months in a mix of vessels—39% in new French oak, the rest in 2- and 3-year-old barrels and stainless steel. Our goal was to create a wine that balances freshness with the depth and concentration of a truly exceptional vintage.
91-93 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
The 2023 Lirac Essen comes from pebbly soils and is based on 74% Grenache, 24% Syrah, and a splash of Mourvèdre. It’s a ripe, sexy, seamless effort offering terrific red, blue, and black fruits as well as classic Provençal notes of peppery garrigue, spice, and herbes de Provence. Medium to full-bodied, balanced and elegant, it has sweet tannins and a great finish.
Our “reserve blend” is crafted only in exceptional vintages. It is named after the Four Holy Crowned Ones (The Coronati) and represents the pinnacle of Lirac winemaking.
For this blend, we selected the most concentrated and complex lots, aging them primarily in a new Taransaud puncheon, with 20% maturing in 2-year-old oak. We elevate the blend with Mourvèdre for added depth and complexity, while increasing the Syrah, which thrives in the region’s rocky soils, without overpowering the Grenache.
This vintage, made from 40% Grenache, 40% Syrah, and 20% Mourvèdre, is designed to showcase a harmonious balance of power, concentration, and finesse.’
With only around 100 cases produced, the Coronati is a wine of true distinction, crafted to offer weight, complexity, and exceptional balance.
93-95 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
A slightly smaller production cuvée, the 2023 Lirac Coronati brings a touch more richness and depth, offering a rocking nose of black raspberries, toasted spice, Provençal herbs, and a touch of smoke. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and beautifully textured, it has a great mid-palate, sweet tannins, and a hell of a finish.
