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Etienne Winery elevates and celebrates Lirac to uncover gems in the Rhone Valley.

2023 ETIENNE ESSEN LIRAC

Crafted from a blend of 74% Grenache, 24% Syrah, and 2% Mourvèdre, this wine hails from 55- to 65-year-old vines planted in the galets roulés of the Lirac plateau.

Careful selection during multiple vineyard passes yielded exceptional, albeit limited, fruit. With four weeks on the skins, the grapes revealed their full expression.

The Essen blend was aged for 12 months in a mix of vessels—39% in new French oak, the rest in 2- and 3-year-old barrels and stainless steel. Our goal was to create a wine that balances freshness with the depth and concentration of a truly exceptional vintage. 

91-93 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
The 2023 Lirac Essen comes from pebbly soils and is based on 74% Grenache, 24% Syrah, and a splash of Mourvèdre. It’s a ripe, sexy, seamless effort offering terrific red, blue, and black fruits as well as classic Provençal notes of peppery garrigue, spice, and herbes de Provence. Medium to full-bodied, balanced and elegant, it has sweet tannins and a great finish.
92+ points- Vinous, Billy Norris The 2023 Essen is a blend of 74% Grenache, 24% Syrah, and 2% Mourvèdre from old vines in Lirac. Deeply mineral and structural, it unfurls a beautiful array of blue/purple berry fruit, pomegranate, sagebrush, crushed rocks and violet, leaping across the palate with tons of energy but clamping down tight on the tense finish. The flavors echo quite long here. Give this some time to soften its edges. This is a compelling effort. (Drink between 2026-2033)

$129 (3 pack)

2023 ETIENNE CORONATI LIRAC

Our “reserve blend” is crafted only in exceptional vintages. It is named after the Four Holy Crowned Ones (The Coronati) and represents the pinnacle of Lirac winemaking. 

For this blend, we selected the most concentrated and complex lots, aging them primarily in a new Taransaud puncheon, with 20% maturing in 2-year-old oak. We elevate the blend with Mourvèdre for added depth and complexity, while increasing the Syrah, which thrives in the region’s rocky soils, without overpowering the Grenache.

 

This vintage, made from 40% Grenache, 40% Syrah, and 20% Mourvèdre, is designed to showcase a harmonious balance of power, concentration, and finesse.’

 

With only around 100 cases produced, the Coronati is a wine of true distinction, crafted to offer weight, complexity, and exceptional balance.

93-95 Points, Jeb Dunnuck A slightly smaller production cuvée, the 2023 Lirac Coronati brings a touch more richness and depth, offering a rocking nose of black raspberries, toasted spice, Provençal herbs, and a touch of smoke. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and beautifully textured, it has a great mid-palate, sweet tannins, and a hell of a finish.
94 points- Vinous, Billy Norris The 2023 Coronati is darker in character, plusher and considerably more open-knit than the Essen tasted alongside. Rich veins of minerality run through both wines but are especially focused here, bracing the pure, precise black raspberry fruit with a tactile grip and a spine of tingly acids. Mouth-coating yet weightless, the Coronati is a very sophisticated wine for this less-familiar appellation. The 2023 echoes intentional, careful winemaking. I’m excited to taste this in future vintages. (Drink between 2025-2035)

$239 (3 pack)