AOC Cairanne

Spectacular panoramic views

Cairanne is located on a small hill in the Haut-Vaucluse, between Orange, Bollène and Vaison la Romaine.

The vineyards above the village offer spectacular panoramic views encompassing Les Dentelles Montmirail hills, Mont Ventoux, the Aygues valley, the Comtat plain and the plain of the Principality of Orange.

In 1929, a small group of wine-growers organised and set themselves a number of quality objectives, determined to earn AOC status and promote the local wines. They therefore established a Cave Coopérative (cooperative winery), as well as a trade association: the Syndicat Général des Vignerons des Côtes du Rhône. From 1936, the wines were sold under the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée Côtes du Rhône.

The wines were granted the superior Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne appellation status in 1967.

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Over the last twenty years, Cairanne was seen as one of the leading Côtes du Rhône Villages appellations. Not surprisingly, the growers applied for the superior status and were awarded Cru for the red and white wines in 2015.

The grapes are grown on three complementary soil types, which lend great diversity to the resulting wines. Chalky white clay, a cold soil, yields robust, powerful wines with dense tannins and great depth of colour; these wines are ideal for laying down. Red clays produce more easy-drinking wines, with a fine nose and range of flavours. The silty soils deposited on the terraces of the River Aygues give an attractive smooth roundness to the wines grown there.

Being nearer the border of two distinct areas, the Cairanne appellation brings together the Syrah so typical of the Northern Rhône and the Grenache and Mourvèdre grape varieties of the deep South.

Reds must contain a minimum of 50% Grenache and at least 20% Syrah and/or Mourvèdre; other permitted varieties must not exceed 20%.

Whites are based on Grenache blanc, Clairette blanche, Marsanne blanche, Roussanne blanche, Bourboulenc blanc and Viognier blanc, with 20% of other varieties tolerated. These grape varieties impart citrus, white-fruit and floral notes (acacia, hawthorn and violet).