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Lirac is a large appellation on the western side of the southern Rhone valley in France. The wines produced under the title are mainly full-bodied reds and a significant quantity of rose. Although not a white-wine specialist, Lirac produces a small amount of often heavy, floral whites from Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Bourboulenc.
The appellation's rose wines can offer a more affordable alternative to those of neighboring Tavel, whose prestige forces prices up, often undeservedly. The vineyards of these two rivals are separated only by a parish boundary, and enjoy much the same combination of warm, dry weather and well-drained limestone and sandstone soils. The parishes permitted to claim the AOC Lirac appellation are Saint-Laurent-des-Arbres, Saint-Genies-de-Comolas, Roquemaure and Lirac itself.
Lirac's reds, made from the classic southern Rhone varieties (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsaut) are similar in style to the softest of the Cotes du Rhone Villages reds. Several ambitious producers now make a heavier style of wine, more akin to those of Chateauneuf-du-Pape just across the Rhone river. The quality of Lirac's wines increased noticeably in the late twentieth century, and with developing international interest in heavier red-wine styles, investment has permitted further experimentation and technological upgrades in local winemaking.
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