2018 Cellier des Chartreux Domaine Les Colombettes Lirac Rhone Valley 750 ml

The thrill of the chase never subsides: Even at the end of a long day, just when we want to pack it in, a stunning find will shake us awake.

We were at Celliers des Chartreux, just outside Avignon, on a sweltering September afternoon. We’d tasted through more than a dozen wines, and all our weary palates craved was an ice-cold beer. Just then, BLAM-O: The remarkably poised, deep ruby-purple 2018 Domaine Les Colombettes Lirac arrived in our glass, bringing a gorgeous wave of fresh-blackberry fruit that just about stopped us in our tracks. 

Before the week was out, we’d arranged to import a share directly, just for Wine Access members.

Grown on the same kind of chalky-clay soils and under the same round pudding-stones found in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, this is a Grenache-Syrah blend that delivers all the sun-ripened, sappy, berry-pie flavors and smoked-brisket, peppery accents that make the Rhône stop #1 for red-wine lovers the world over. Decanter hung a 95-point score and Gold Medal honors on it at their World Wine Awards, calling it “lifted and inviting,” with a “generous, textured palate.” . 

Lirac is just to the west of Châteauneuf-du-Pape across the Rhône River, and offers wines that are similar to—but more affordable than—their better-known neighbor. As Josh Raynolds of Vinous put it, “With soils quite similar to those at Châteauneuf, Lirac’s wines tend to be fleshy and ample, with forward fruit and gentle tannins that make for early appeal.”

Because there’s such strong demand for Celliers des Chartreux wines within France, the winery is a bit of a well-kept secret, and they typically don’t export to the United States—until now.