Domaine de Guiraud “Les Sables d’Arène” Lirac 2017

“Cherry Jolly Ranchers melted into black tar & licorice”

Jackson’s Notes: 

Every release has to have at least one “wow” factor wine, and this is definitely the one. It’s juicy, large-and-in-charge, and immediately appealing.

We lean heavily on the wines of the Rhône valley in our releases (there’s been another Côtes du Rhône white and red in releases this year). There’s good reason for it. For the money we spend on putting good wines in your box, there’s few regions that deliver the goods as well as the Rhône valley. This is a land of old family wineries, old vines, nicely balanced blends, and delicious near-term drinking. Sure there’s lots of expensive Rhône wines as well, but we’re mostly concerned with the things that drink beautifully for not as much money. 

Because it’s dry and windy in the Rhône, there’s also lots of people practicing organic farming in their vineyards. The cool and wicked Mistral wind blows pests and mildew away from the vines, and helps to moderate ripening in the hot summer months. This is one of the most classic river-based growing regions in the world. The Rhône river gives water to the land and helps move air around as well, and it was once a primary means of commercial transportation for wines grown along the river.

The Domaine Guiraud property farms everything they produce organically. The parcel that “Les Sables d’Arène” comes from isn’t owned by the winery, but since the results of their organic practices nearby showed so well, the proprietor asked Marie and François to convert his own land to organic farming and sold the grapes to them. It’s become one of their stable of properties in the region of Lirac, near Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

The 2017 was the last year of this cuvée being 100% Grenache, and although the blended ones are cool, I really like this expression, especially since it’s grown on sandy soil, and I think there’s few expressions of Grenache as yummy as those planted on sand. 

The 2017 Domaine Guiraud Les Sables d’Arène is deep and inky in the glass, giving off notes of pepper, smoke, and toasted spices. Like Cherry Jolly Ranchers melted into black tar and licorice. A finish of French country herbs dried over a roaring hearth, and salted citrus peel.