La Lôyane 2020 Côtes Du Rhône Vieilles Vignes Red

PRODUCER INFO

• Domaine La Lôyane is a name you will start to hear regularly in discussions of noteworthy wine from the Southern Rhône.
• Romain Dubois started his winemaking career on the property at the age of fifteen under the advisement of his father, from whom he has inherited 75 acres of mostly old vine parcels in Lirac and Tavel. When you look at Romain it is hard to believe that he just completed his twentieth vintage – This is someone with experience and knowledge of the region’s terroir that belies his young age of 35 years.
• Laure Dubois, Romain’s charismatic and engaging wife, worked as a chef in nearby Chateauneuf-du-Pape prior to the birth of their two children, and she is now responsible for all of the vineyard work at the Domaine.
• Farming is organic, and most fermentation and aging takes place in steel tank. A portion of each wine is raised in their collection of ten used 600 liter barrels.

ABOUT THE WINE

• This standout release defies its humble “Côtes du Rhône” designation in a surprising way.
• As one would expect from vines of this age, yields are very low – 30 hl/hectacre! For reference the norm for a Côtes du Rhône is 50 hl/hectacre
• It is sourced from each of the domaine’s five vineyards – The first in an area called “Le Monteil” which is the most sought after and highest elevation vineyard land in Rochefort-du-Gard; The second in “La Lôyane,” which is composed of mostly 90 year old vines that surround the winery in Rochefort; The third in an area called “Le Plateau” which sits above the village of Saze, with soil composed of little more than large stones; The fourth in an area Lirac called “Les Theys” which is a site that boasts the oldest grenache vines (150 years young!) in all of Lirac, The fifth, just recently acquired, is comprised of old vines in Tavel in an area called “Les Vestiges.”

Vintage: 2020 | Wine Type: Red Wine
Varietal: 50% Grenache, 50% Syrah
Origin: France | Appellation: Lirac
Elaboration: Naturally farmed, hand-picked grapes. Fermented and aged in stainless tank.
Winemaker:  Romain Dubois

TASTING NOTES

Mid cherry red. Lovely cherry fragrance too. Cool and silky. Relatively lightweight but fine and gentle on the palate.

TECHNICAL DATA

Production: 1400 | Alcohol: 14.5% | TA: 3.3 g/l | Residual Sugar: 2.70 g/l | pH: 3.80

PRESS & POINTS

2017 – 91 Points, BTI
2018 – 90 Points, Wine Enthusiast