Famille Brechet Lirac Plateau des Chenes 2017

Cellar for up to 7 years. No need to decant before serving.

This luscious, fruit-forward red from France’s Southern Rhone is a classic “GSM” or Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre blend from the Lirac appellation. Still one of the Rhone’s lesser-known regions, Lirac is an excellent place to find red wines which punch way above their price tag like this example made by local winemaker Laurent Brechet. His family’s Le Plateau des Chênes vineyard was planted in 2010 on excellent soils which are very similar to those found in nearby Chateauneuf du Pape.

Unlike many other Lirac wines, this cuvee is primarily composed of Syrah with the young wine aged in 225 and 600 litre barrels for 9 months prior to bottling. The result is an intensely flavoured red with ample cassis, blackberry and crushed cherry notes as well as hints of woodsmoke, leather and sweet spice. The depth of flavour makes this a great partner for red meats including barbecued ribs, charcuterie and fresh pasta served with a rich ragu sauce.

The Brechet family is based in Vaucluse and has been making wine here in the Southern Rhone for five generations, passing down expertise and local knowledge for decades. Today the family’s three wineries are run by three siblings, Sylvette, Laurent and Julien, who strive to make the best wines possible while preserving their lands in good condition for the next generation.