Château de Montfaucon
Lirac, Southern Rhône, France
WHERE
WHO
Rudolphe & Léo de Pins
Ancient estate, old Rhône varieties, traditional styles of Tavel and Lirac Rosé.
HOW
Baron de Montfaucon, AOP Côtes du Rhône Blanc (W)
Château de Montfaucon, 'Comtesse Madeleine', AOP Lirac (W)
Château de Montfaucon, 'Vin de Mme', AOP Lirac (W)
Château de Montfaucon, 'Lirac Rosé', AOP Lirac (Ro)
Château de Montfaucon, 'La Côte', AOP Côtes du Rhône (Ro)
Château de Montfaucon, 'Baron Louis', AOP Lirac (R)
Château de Montfaucon, 'Vin de Mr', AOP Lirac (R)
Baron de Montfaucon, AOP Châteauneuf-du-Pape (R)
Roc des Pins, Lirac Cinsault (Ro)
Roc des Pins, Tavel (Ro)
WINES
We could go on about how Montfaucon was established in the 11th century; an imposing castle that looks out over Châteauneuf-du-Pape from the other side of the Rhône. However what we really want to tell you about is their Rosé; Tavel and Lirac Rosés in the deeper coloured, textured styles that so many of us would like to see more of and had us convinced we needed to work with Léon and Rudolphe immediately.
Rudolphe took over the running of the estate in 1995; his great great uncle Baron Louis acquired it back in 1880, although vines have been grown here since Roman times. Rudolphe knows his way around the Rhône varieties, having trained at Vieux Télégraphe in Châteauneuf-du-Pape just across the river, and at Henschke in Australia.
The family have sizeable holdings across multiple AOCs, soils and aspects, including a parcel of 150-year-old Clairette.
AOC Côtes du Rhône Blanc
Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Viognier
13%
The Clairette for this wine comes from 80 year old vines, co-fermented in concrete with Grenache Blanc and Viognier. 9 months on the lees adds texture whilst the Clairette provides a wonderful salinity and freshness.
AOC Côtes du Rhône
Grenache, Syrah & Carignan
14%
Made from low-yielding, young vines of Grenache, Syrah & Carignan. All in concrete for freshness, structure and ease of drinking.
AOC Lirac
Marsanne, Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Picpoul
13%
A wine named for Rudolphe’s grandmother, who ran the Montfaucon estate for over 70 years.
A blend of grapes from vineyards throughout the Lirac appellation on a range of soils. Co-fermented in tank and then in barrel, with 9 months ageing on the lees.
AOC Lirac
Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Cinsault, Mourvèdre
15%
This wine is named for the de Pin family ancestor who restored the château to its former, imposing glory. The grapes come from the best plots in Lirac across three different soils and vines reaching the venerable old age of 100.
80% of the wine is aged for 12 months in old French oak barrels before a further year in concrete. The wine is left in bottle for 2 years before release.
Serious, dark morello cherry, dried herbs and iron-rich depth.
AOC Lirac
100% Clairette
13.5%
This is an idiosyncratic Lirac white; the grapes come from a tiny 0.7 ha plot on the plateau overlooking Lirac, planted before 1870. 100% Clairette, the wine is fermented in used Burgundy barrels and left in barrel on the lees for 8 months. Taut, saline and completely individual.
AOC Lirac Rouge
16 different grape varieties
15%
This wine harks back to the old Southern Rhône practice of planting many different varieties in the same parcel, harvesting them together and then co-fermenting. Nowadays, the grapes are picked over 3 different passes to ensure all varieties are picked at optimal ripeness.
The blend is 16 different varieties, co-fermented, and includes 10% white varieties. It spends 2 years in barrel before an extended time in bottle before release.
The label is an original label from the 1800s.
AOC Lirac
Grenache Noir, Carignan, Cinsault, Counoise
14%
Those familiar with Tavel Rosé, from just next door, will be delighted to discover that the style from Lirac is gastronomic, textured and although a ittle bit lighter in style and colour than its neighbour, just as interesting and individual.
Made using the saignée method, the grapes are co-fermented in foudred and then aged for 6 months.