Côtes du Rhône Cru AOC Cairanne

Climate: Mediterranean influenced by Mistral wind

Soils: Sandy / Limestone / Clay / Rocky

Website appellation: https://vignerons-cairanne.com/fr/cairanne-site/

Production surface area in 2023:  882 HA

Total production in 2023: 29 952 HL

Average annual yeld: 34 HL/HA

Export: 40%

Recognition in AOC by the I.N.A.O.: 2005

Commune: Cairanne

• Clairette, 
• Grenache blanc, 
• Grenache noir, 
• Roussanne

• Syrah, 
• Mourvèdre

• Bourboulenc, 
• Brun argenté (locally known as Camarèse or Vaccarèse), 
• Carignan, 
• Cinsault, 
• Clairette, 
• Clairette rose, 
• Counoise, 
• Grenache blanc, 
• Grenache gris, 
• Marsanne,
• Muscardin, 
• Piquepoul blanc, 
• Piquepoul noir, 
• Roussanne, 
• Terret noir, 
• Viognier

Specifications for the appellation

In 1929, a small group of winegrowers, including a Monsieur Rieu who fervently supported Baron Le Roy’s ideas, came together to plan for their future.
They set themselves a number of goals, aiming to protect their winegrowing interests, achieve AOC status and promote the village wines. That same year, Cairanne set up its own cooperative cellar, and the Syndicat Général des Vignerons des Côtes du Rhône was founded.
In 1953, Cairanne’s winegrowers were permitted to add the village name to their Côtes du Rhône wines, then later in 1967, their wines were officially awarded Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne status.
Still keen to improve quality, Cairanne applied in 2008 for standalone Cru status. This has now been granted, and on 29th June 2016, Cairanne officially became a Cru of Côtes du Rhône.

The climate here is Mediterranean – dry with plenty of sunshine – and heavily influenced by the Mistral wind, which gusts through the vineyards, helping the grapes stay healthy all year round.

The 1,088-hectare terroir comprises 3 distinct areas, each contributing its own character to Cairanne’s complex, elegant wines. These are: The terraces of the Aygues to the west of the village, made up of pebbles, clay and fine sand. The sandy subsoils promote fine-grained tannins in the wines, giving them finesse and a fresh lightness; Miocene slopes to the north of the village,
the Montagne du Ventabren, make up one of Cairanne’s major terroirs. Erosion has cut into the mass of limestone pebbles with the occasional vein of flint alternating with Miocene marl; the soils here give the wine an aroma of black fruit and spice, with plenty of complexity and freshness.
Garrigue scrubland to the south of the village, comprising stony, alluvial soils over a bed of fine-grained matter, dating from the Tertiary.
This sunny, windswept plateau gives the balanced conditions needed to produce sun-drenched, generous wines with flavours of ripe fruit and spices.

The village of Cairanne lies in the north west of Vaucluse, just a stone’s throw from the former papal enclave at Avignon, on the borders of the Drôme department. This single village makes up the entire appellation.

Reds: Grenache makes up at least 40% of any red blend. Syrah and Mourvèdre are very much at home here, and Cinsault and Carignan give a good balance of acidity to alcohol, but may not exceed 30% of any Planting.
Cairanne’s red wines are full of red fruit flavours and spice, with smooth, velvety tannins and an elegant, balanced, complex finish. Whites: Clairette, Grenache blanc and Roussanne are the main varieties, with minimum 20% of each in the blend. Other auxiliary varietals, including Bourboulenc, Viognier, Marsanne and Piquepoul, may also be added. Grenache blanc gives power and structure, while Clairette and Roussanne add elegant aromas and freshness, making Cairanne white wines pleasingly well-balanced with a naturally floral, fruity character.