Château Mont-Redon 2023 Lirac Blanc 750ml

Château Mont-Redon traces its modern history to 1923, when Henri Plantin acquired an isolated property on the plateau above what would become the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation — a visionary act that preceded the AOC's formal creation by thirteen years. The 2023 vintage is, fittingly, the estate's 100th anniversary year, celebrated with limited-edition labels designed by local artist Gaël Serre. Today the Fabre and Plantin families run the largest estate in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation, farming 100 hectares of vines in a single contiguous block — and since 1997, an additional 35 hectares in the neighboring Lirac appellation, on the left bank of the Rhône river just northwest of Avignon.

The Lirac Blanc is one of the Southern Rhône's most genuinely interesting and most consistently under-discovered white wine expressions — a four-variety blend from the appellation's rocky pudding stone terraces whose combination of Grenache Blanc's roundness, Roussanne's aromatic richness, Clairette's freshness, and Viognier's floral lift produces something genuinely and specifically different from both Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc and the lighter Côtes du Rhône white expressions. One-third of the wine ferments and matures in Burgundian barriques; the remaining two-thirds is handled in stainless steel — a split that gives the wine both oak-derived texture and complexity and tank-preserved freshness and aromatic clarity.

James Suckling awarded the 2023 vintage 93 points: "textured, balanced and attractive with aromas of spiced apples, dried plums and baking spices. Medium-bodied with plenty of texture and fresh acidity adding drive to the long, vibrant and flavorful finish." The Wine-Searcher aggregate for the 2023 is 92/100 — the highest aggregate score this wine has received in recent years, and fitting recognition for the estate's centenary vintage. Lemongrass, banana, honeysuckle, and a pinch of salt add to the picture — a Southern Rhône white of real complexity, built for the table, from the estate that Pierre Fabre is, in the words of one respected critic, bringing "back to its prior glory."

Origins & Craftsmanship

Château Mont-Redon is the largest estate in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation, with 100 hectares of vines planted in a single contiguous block in the northwestern part of the appellation — a remarkable achievement in a region where vineyard fragmentation across multiple tiny parcels is the norm. The estate's Lirac vineyard, 35 hectares acquired in 1997, sits on the left bank of the Rhône river in the Lirac AOC — an appellation adjacent to Tavel whose pudding stone and sandy terraces produce wines of genuine structure and aromatic complexity. The estate celebrates its 100th anniversary with the 2023 vintage.

The 2023 Lirac Blanc is built from four varieties in specific proportions designed to deliver both aromatic expressiveness and textural weight: 35% Grenache Blanc provides the roundness and generosity that defines the Southern Rhône white wine tradition; 30% Roussanne adds the most aromatic richness and the most specifically floral complexity available from any Rhône white variety; 25% Clairette contributes freshness, natural acidity, and a citrus brightness that preserves the wine's vibrancy; and 10% Viognier adds the most perfumed, most peach-and-apricot-forward aromatic lift that rounds the blend into something harmonious. The fruit is hand-picked from the rocky pudding stone terraces of Lirac, whole-bunch pressed and cold-settled with a light fining, then fermented at cool temperatures of 14° to 16°C over three weeks. One-third of the wine ferments and matures in Burgundian barriques — both new and one-year-old — while the balance is handled in stainless steel tanks, producing a blend of oak-derived texture and tank-preserved freshness. The wine is matured for approximately eight months before blending and bottling in May.

Critics Reviews

James Suckling — 93 Points (2023 vintage, June 2025):
"Textured, balanced and attractive with aromas of spiced apples, dried plums and baking spices. Medium-bodied with plenty of texture and fresh acidity adding drive to the long, vibrant and flavorful finish. Drink or hold."

Wine-Searcher aggregate — 92/100 (2023 vintage)

Wine-Searcher confirmed extended note:
"This wine presents an inviting freshness, boasting aromas of ripe lemongrass, banana, honeysuckle, graham cracker and a pinch of salt."

Wine-Searcher community (extended confirmed notes, across vintages):
"Brilliant, pale yellow, greenish tints. Delicate, expressive nose where white flowers, citrus and a mineral background intertwine. Full mouthfeel, power offset by acidulous freshness. Long-lasting mineral character. Perfect for white tablecloth dining."

"Light gold with greenish tints. Attractive nose of tangerine with a floral touch and vanilla undertones. Supple attack showing savoury, closely-integrated stuffing that is light, fresh and easy-drinking."

"Brilliant light yellow with green tints. Expressive nose of ripe stone fruits, aniseed and ageing notes. The palate shows clear, generous expression supported by good, quite crisp freshness. Full all round. A real treat."

Wine Enthusiast — 90 Points (2022 vintage, for house style context)

Tasting Profile

Nose
Brilliant pale yellow with green tints — the whole-bunch pressing and cool fermentation preserving the most delicate and most specifically aromatic qualities of the four-variety blend. Spiced apples and baking spices lead with warmth and textural weight — the Burgundian barrique component's most directly aromatic contribution. Dried plum adds a slightly richer, more concentrated stone fruit secondary note. Ripe lemongrass, banana, and honeysuckle add fresh tropical and floral complexity from the Viognier and Roussanne components. White flowers and a mineral background intertwine, with a delicate tangerine note adding citrus brightness.

Palate
Textured, balanced, and medium-bodied, with the most specifically notable quality being the simultaneous presence of rich texture and fresh acidity — the one-third barrique, two-thirds stainless steel split's most directly palate-apparent contribution. Clear, generous expression is supported by good, quite crisp freshness. A full, round entry gives way to a vibrant mid-palate of savoury, closely-integrated stuffing. Graham cracker and a pinch of salt add complexity. Power offset by acidulous freshness — the Clairette's most specifically structural and the Viognier's most aromatic contributions keeping the Grenache Blanc and Roussanne richness in lively balance.

Finish
Long, vibrant, and flavorful, with long-lasting mineral character from the pudding stone terraces carrying the close most persistently. Fresh acidity drives a finish of real length. Perfect for white tablecloth dining, as one reviewer specifically noted.

Quick Overview

Food Pairings

• White fish and fish in sauce — the producer's primary recommendation
• Shellfish — langoustines, scallops
• Grilled or roasted chicken with herbs
• Soft goat cheeses
• White tablecloth dining generally — as one reviewer specifically recommended