The Alary family has been growing grapes and making wine in the village of Cairanne for eleven generations, or since the late 1600’s. But it is with the latest generation, led by Denis Alary, that the wines have begun to show their full potential. The majority of the family’s holdings lie on the best parcel of the Côtes du Rhône-Village of Cairanne’s land, called la Font d’Estevanas.

Though this is considered to be their 2nd best Cuvée, behind the very old vine Grenache cuvée called Jean de Verde, it is always the one that I find the most intriguing, probably because of the predominance of Syrah in the cuvée. The wine consists of about 60% Syrah, planted over forty years ago with cuttings taken from Hermitage, the remainder of the grapes are Grenache and Counoise, some of which are from vines that are over 100 years old. While the Syrah definitely marks the wine, this is unmistakably a wine from the Southern Rhône, and I would even go so far as to say that it is unmistakably a Cairanne.

Though it is always a favorite wine of mine, the vintage plays a giant role in this being part of The Next Big Thing selection. 2007 was a nearly perfect vintage, and the best in a string of excellent vintages beginning in 1998 (excluding 2002). A moist spring, followed by a very dry growing season (one of the lowest rainfalls on record for the period from June to September) accompanied by moderate temperatures (for the Southern Rhône at least) averaging just over 80° F and positive influence of the Mistral allowed for a long hang time, and grapes that retained a greater than average acidity. The resulting wines are deeply flavored, but feel light on their feet, with ample acid and silky tannins to support the dense fruit and alcohol. The acid also lets the minerality of these wines show through very clearly. Conditions like this favor wines with high portions of Syrah, such as this one.

Full of smoky blackberry and raspberry fruit, black and white pepper, and stony minerality, and following up with a devastatingly long finish, to say this wine complex barely begins to do it justice. Try it with grilled pork, anything with wild mushrooms (Cepes in particular) or with semi-hard cheeses. Drink now – 2020, with best results from 2012 onwards.