The Luxury Travel Magazine
The Luxury Travel Magazine
Napoleon Bonaparte once mused: “Clearly, the pleasures wines afford are transitory – but so are those of the ballet, or of a musical performance.” Most could not agree more. Combining travel and wine is surely one of the most pleasurable things in the world. In the Côte d’Azur region, you’ll encounter a charming village called Cairanne. Here, you can step back in time and enjoy a provincial French community as well as taste Cairanne’s big bold red wines. A trip to this oenophile’s paradise is definitely worth discovering for yourself.
Cairanne is a village set upon a rocky limestone outcrop with its own micro-climate. It is hot and dry but made green due to the Aigues River, which nourishes the vines as the Mistral wind blows through the Rhône Valley and up the Alpes Cote d’Azur. This is a winning combination that produces some of the quality grapes that make some of the most excellent wines in the Rhone Valley. It has been recognised as a cru designation in 2016 and offers outstanding red and white wines. As the latest member of the Grand Cru club, it is fast becoming just as exclusive as its well-established neighbour, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the very first French wine appellation; created in 1936.
Cairanne has a community spirit, nurtured by generations of winemakers. It’s inhabitants were locally nicknamed leis afrontaires de Cairana, the cheeky ones from Cairanne. It’s also the gateway to the southern Rhône, combining the typically northern Syrah grape with the southern Grenache and Mourvèdre. Home to over 2,300 acres of vines, the soils are a mixture of warm, red clay and cooler calcareous clay. It is dominated by thirty- to fifty-year-old vines which are comprised of Rhône Grenache-based reds or Clairette-based white which makes up three percent of its yield.
Sandwiched between Orange and Avignon, this quaint medieval village harks back to the eighth century. The settlement is perched on a low hilltop overlooking a kaleidoscope of fields and vineyards and picturesque villages. There are also relics from the era of the Knights Hospitallers who settled here in the 12th century. PR writing. Visitors to the area witness their heritage as you wander the narrow streets and tiny squares surrounded by charming Maison’s. The Autanne Gate and ramparts were built in 1123 and Templars Tower overlooks the Ventoux and Saint-Andeol hill. At the centre of the new village, you’ll find a school, shops and the newly opened wine-tasting workshop Maison des Vins de Cairanne that showcases the wines of the region.
In Cairanne, local growers established a regional Cave Coopérative back in 1929. Wines from here borea Côtes du Rhône designation since 1953 but then it achieved cru AOC status in 2016. Cru status relates to a village that has its own appellation, such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Rasteau and Beaumes-de-Venise. Now Cairanne’s wines can be labelled with its own name, instead of Cotes du Rhone villages.
Famed for red wines, but also producing rare whites, Cairanne is abundant in its offerings. According to the experts, the old vines in the northern part of the Cairanne AOC produce complex and flavoursome wines. Each domaine has its own secrets to wine production but traditional methods remain strong throughout the appellation. The machine has gradually been helping speed up production so each winemaker can keep up with industry demands. In terms of vintages, 2015/6 were outstanding. However, 2020 was a hard year because of temperature fluctuation.
As well as wine, the region is supported by a wide range of delicious cuisine. Coteaux & Fourchettes is a Gault Millau restaurant that also appears in the Michelin guide as a bib gourmand. On a summer’s evening one can enjoy a view of the vineyards while savouring the sumptuous dishes lovingly created by Csyril Glémot. There are over 700 wines to choose from, and one can book a table in this wine cellar to access the pinnacle of fine dining. Meals are enhanced by the company one keeps so when vintners Jean Etienne Alary from Domaine Alary, Alexandra Berthet Rayne of Domaine Andre Berthet Rayne and Philippine Bernadeau of Domaine les Grands Bois joined guests for a three-course meal this old adage more than rang true. It began with a crisp white from Domaine Alary.
The Alary family is one of the most established winemakers in Cairanne. During the reign of Louis XIV in 1992, Andre Alary settled in Cairranne to cultivate land. The vineyard itself sits on 29 hectares with an emphasis on reds, however, five percent of those are white and those are the ones we started off with. The starter was a salmon heart smoked with vine shoots, creamy potatoes and Granny Smith’s apple roulade with black radish and caviar.
This was followed by a pan-fried sea bass on a bed of spaghetti with coriander and butternut squash with citrus garnish, and followed again by a third course of roasted charolais beef fillet medallion, timbale of ratatouille with fresh goat cheese and crispy parmesan drenched in a full-bodied juice of anchovies in red wine. As the meal progressed, we sampled the excellent reds from Andre Berthet Rayne and Domaine les Grand Bois. These complemented the beef and the wonderful with a raspberry dessert and cheese that followed. It was an excellent five course meal.
Maison des Vins de Cairanne is the best venue to encounter wine tasting, offering several tastings of 20 to 30 wines at a time a day. Pierre Amadieu, Laurent Brusset and Thilbault Brotte are well placed to know the wines of Cairanne. They showcased a splendid variety of wine over a wine flight. Standouts included a plummy wine from Pierre Amadieu, as well as a big bold red from Domaine Alary made of grenache, the base for many wines due to its aromas and structure and in Cairanne these grapes are in abundance, and syrah. Oraitore St Martin, a winemaker in neighbouring Chateau Neuf de Pape, also produces wonderful wine.
Domaine Brusset makes a delicious variety derived from 80-year-old vines made up of 60 per cent grenache and 40 per cent syrah. This is aged for two years in barrel. The owner is Laurent Brusset a third-generation vinter who owns one of the largest and most prestigious vineyards in the appellation. He is also the mayor of the town, and seems to know everyone, so is a very useful man to know. His grandfather Andre planted the first vines back in 1947 and these are still growing today. Set in a central location at the top of the village, the Domaine Brusset estate sprawls out over 70 hectares. The wines they produce are dainty, and velvety. The vintages are complex, and you can feel the expertise of two generations blending to achieve the best results. Laurent is very respectful to his grandfather, indeed naming one of his wines, ‘Spirit of Papa’ in his honour. The best vines and views of the estate and the original house where his beloved relative indeed began this wine empire.
Carainne’s terroirs can truly be appreciated by air. Four people can take a small plane from the aerodrome tourney au verre and experience an unforgettable birds’ eye view. Cairanne from above in a private plane is a unique chance to examine the topography of this fascinating wine region. Guests can watch the plane taxi and then soar off into the skies, setting the pace for great anticipation.
You’ll sense the adventure as the smell of jet fuel fills the air and the wind ripples in one’s hair as the engine starts. As the pilot runs through all checks adrenaline mounts until it takes off into the sky sending guests soaring over the appellation appreciating the vines from above. One can trace the contour of the land from the river in the valley below to the gentle hills of Rasteau and the Alps beyond.
One of the region’s most successful winemakers is Bruno Boisson whose family has tended the land since the mid-19th Century. After the Second World War René Boisson, Bruno’s grandfather replaced the frozen olive trees with vines and bought a 10 Hectare wood in Largarde-Paréol, giving rise to Domaine Boisson. After leaving the Cave Coopérative to create his own cellar, the first bottle bearing the Domaine Boisson label was bottled in 1986. Exploiting several types of soils and exposures, there is great complexity to Boisson wines. Terroir covers the sandpits producing elegant and round wines as well as powerful, structured and full-bodied varieties. Meanwhile, the slopes produce smooth, rich and racy wines.
Domaine de Galuval is one of the oldest wine-producing estates in Cairanne. Founded in 1923 by the Marchal family, today it is one of Cairanne’s most dynamic winemakers with a modern outlook. Grapes grow on Mount Ventabren, one of the finest terroirs here, situated at the top of the village, the Gayere valley, south of the village which has rich clay soils and the hills of Rastau. Their cube-shaped winery offers a full experience of food and drink for visitors and is equipped with modern technology. This company has an exciting edginess to it; run by young and dynamic individuals. They are very tuned into the needs of their corporate clients and host big events here in the summer with a focus on entertainment bringing in bands and even tailoring tastings around food with their own chef.
Meanwhile, Domaine Richaud, is a wine business that began with Marcel in 1974 who left the cooperative cellar of Cairanne and created his own wine and passing it down to his children Thomas and then Claire. A new stone cellar was built in 1998 and now produces some fabulous reds and whites.
Domaine Escaravailles began in 1953 when Jean-Louis Ferran discovered the “Escaravailles”. At the time, he was working for a substantial Maison in Gigondas as a wine broker. When he first came across the ruined farmhouse, it was without electricity, water or vineyards: it was love at first sight. Located on the heights of the Appellation Rasteau, overlooking the valley and facing the Mont Ventoux and the Dentelles de Montmirail. He saw enormous potential there and finally sold his old car and borrowed money to buy this piece of paradise. Today it is a successful winery run by the next generation.
Escaravay is the Occitan word for Beetle, and was a nickname given by the inhabitants of Rasteau to the Black Penitents, monks of Avignon who owned the farm in the XVIIth century. Located on the heights of the Appellation Rasteau, overlooking the valley and facing the Mont Ventoux and the Dentelles de Montmirail.
Handily located next to the Maison des Vins de Cairanne in the centre of town, Tourne au Verre is a lovely French bistro where any winemakers choose to meet so you are guaranteed a good wine list. As for the food the gratin dauphinois, foie gras and causa are divine but don’t neglect to try the goat’s cheese tart and parfait. And they also serve amazing cheesecakes and tiramisu. Thibault Botte, Laurent Brusset, Pierre Amadieu of Maison Pierre Amadieu and Loic Massart from Domaine les Chemins de Seve, all provided their best vintages to accompany the food.
A little farther afield, taking a scenic route to the heights of medieval Vaison La Romaine, you’ll find the superb Restaurant Les Maisons Du’O. With a panoramic view, it is an excellent spot to dine. Chef Philippe Zemour serves up incredible cuisine including a sensational salmon sashimi.
Another wonderful dinner at restaurant Le Mesclun in Ségure, a beautiful medieval hillside village. Begin with amuse bouches and then progress to scallops which are arranged like art on a plate by Chef Christof Bonzi. The wine flowed deliciously with every course, provided by Madelune Ferran from Domaine des Escaravailles and Pierre Fabre at Domaine de L’Orataire Saint Martin.
Wine lovers can stay at Castel Mireio, a wonderful countryside maison owned by the Berthet Reye family. The rooms were large and spacious with a comfortable bed. The rooms were adequately heated and had wonderful views from the windows. The living area had a table and fridge and facilities for making tea and coffee and breakfast was laid out every morning in the main house, a feast of bread, croissants and jams with free-flowing juice and coffee.
Cairanne captures your heart with its wonderful hospitality and rich heritage. It is a gem in the French countryside and a place to go to rejuvenate and sample the best of Provence’s gastronomy and the wonderful wines of the Rhone Valley. It is easy to travel to via Marsaille and perfect for a mid-week or weekend break. Memories will last long after the suitcases are unpacked.
