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| July 22, 2002 |
The village of Cairanne (84 Vaucluse, Provence) in the southern Rhône Valley holds its 33rd Annual Wine Festival on Sunday 22 July 2007 (4pm-10pm) – the usual shindig with plenty of wine stalls, a Provencal market with over 50 stands, some music and plenty of opportunity to try out the local wines.
An interesting aspect is the invitation to the producers of another wine region to be the “guest appellation” and for 2007 it is the turn of Bandol AC, from the mediterranean coast east of Marseille - rich heavy reds which major on the Mourvedre grape.
Cairanne has an excellent co-operative Cave de Cairanne - Leon Stolarski stocks some of their range, and I can particularly recommend the Cuvée Voconces - “Aromas of stewed fruits and Christmas cake and smoky “garrigue”. Rich, dark, sweet and sour fruit flavours, a hint of peppery spice and a superb finish. Quintessential Cairanne.”
There are also a number of really good independent producers - A recent recommendation from a French wine merchant whose tastes I rate was for the wines of Domaine de Delubac - Cairanne, Côtes du Rhône Villages AC Les Bruneau
available in the UK from the Halifax Wine Company: “Red and black fruits with a peppery and spicy personality - lots of rich, elegant complexity and a big mellow aftertaste. I think this is brilliant.”
The red wines of Cairanne are rich and spicy being grown on the hillsides around the village - with a minimum of 50% Grenache in the blend together with Syrah, Mourvedre and the other southern Rhône varietals.
For more on the Cairanne Wine Festival see www.vignerons-cairanne.com/
