Lirac AOP – Domaine Duseigneur – Antarès – red

“Antarès” comes from a selection of vines on north-facing slopes, at the western tip of the Lirac appellation, at 160 m above sea level. The soils are deep sands and sandstone. Yields are around 30 hl/ha. The harvest is partially destemmed and each grape variety is vinified separately in concrete tanks. No oak ageing, ambient yeasts only.

Domaine Duseigneur was founded in 1960 by Bernard Duseigneur’s father, who settled in the southern Rhône Valley and planted vines for the AOC Lirac vineyard (which lies on the right bank of the Rhône, across the river from Châteauneuf-du-Pape). Over the years, the family continued to buy vines in Lirac and Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Today, with a team made up of Bernard, Gabriel Monier, Phillipe Faure Brac and Philippe Cambie, Domaine Duseigneur continues to produce truly exquisite wines. Although they grow the 13 grape varieties permitted in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the vineyard focuses mainly on Grenache Noir (60%), with vines averaging 60 years of age. They own vineyards covering a range of the AOC’s terroirs: the characteristic round granite stones (Quartzite), limestone soils and sandstone soils, which give the wine a unique character.

Certified organic since 1998 and biodynamic since 2002, the estate harvests by hand and all the wines are fermented with ambient yeasts. The wines are not fined, and filtration is done through a cellulose pad for the whites, rosés and fruity reds; the other wines, aged in barrel for longer, are not filtered at all. Bernard readily thanks his mentor, François Bouchet, whom you may know as a pioneer of biodynamics and a leading biodynamic consultant for vineyards such as La Romanée Conti and Château de Puligny-Montrachet. Domaine Duseigneur is Biodyvin certified and has great respect for the symbiosis between plant and soil. We are delighted to offer you these wines.