Domaine Alary, Cairanne Rouge, Tradition, Southern Rhône, France, 2022

Producer Profile

Denis Alary’s wines are benchmark Southern Rhônes: full of sun and a joy to drink.

Spicy, rich and peppery with warm juicy fruit, his wines are always extremely appealing and a great representation of this region. While Grenache makes up the majority of the vines planted on his 29 hectares of vineyards, he has an old plot of Syrah and uses it judiciously in the cuvée ‘L’Estévenas’. Despite increasing fame and demand, these wines remain great value. Wine passionate, Jean-Etienne, Denis’s son, has naturally integrated at the estate since 2016, after a journey in Australia and in New-Zealand. Together, they ensure the management, marketing, including sales directly from the cellar, vinification and viticulture. Driven by Jean-Etienne, they are all now moving towards biodynamics.

Viticulture

A classic Cairanne ensemble: predominantly Grenache (around 60 %), supported by Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Carignan. Vines grown on a mix of limestone and clay soils, surrounded by garrigue scrub. Harvested exclusively by hand, to allow sorting in the vineyard and another trie at the entrance to the cellar. Old vines, hand-picked and harvested, gently processed to preserve their character.

Winemaking

Winemaking is characterized by gentle extraction, starting with 18–25 day cold-fermentation and soft remontage (pumpovers), followed by pneumatic pressing to enhance roundness. Separate vinification for each grape variety. Pigeage. Blending prior to bottling. The wine is aged primarily for 12 months in concrete vats, maintaining freshness while building texture, and often sees further bottle aging before release.

Tasting Note

The Tradition cuvée reveals a deep purplish‑red core that immediately conveys intensity. On the nose, delicate yet pronounced aromas of ripe blackberries mingle with liquorice and a subtle mineral edge. The palate is rich and aromatic, offering a wealth of dark fruit flavors framed by spicy undertones—think sage and Provençal herb accents—with silky, well-structured tannins. The wine unfolds with generosity and suppleness, finishing lingeringly as ripe black fruit blends seamlessly with spice and earthy nuance.

Food Matching

An archetypal table wine, versatile and gratifying. It pairs beautifully with vegetable casseroles such as tian, Provencal-style beef daube, and Mediterranean dishes.