Notify me
2016 Cairanne
Domaine Catherine Le Gœuil

You would be forgiven for not being able to place Cairanne on a map. Twenty miles north of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, this village is among the underrated of the southern Rhône, and it didn’t receive AOC status until the 2016 vintage! And what a vintage to commemorate: 2016 is widely regarded as an incredible year in the Rhône Valley. Daniel Brunier of Vieux Télégraphe told us, “I would never use this word lightly, but 2016 is the absolute best vintage I’ve ever seen here since 1978.”
Now, even though it was only validated recently by the authorities, that doesn’t mean Cairanne hadn’t been producing excellent wines for years before that. Kermit began to import the reds of Catherine Le Gœuil in 2005. Ever since, they have represented his ethos: “If you are looking for great values, look where no one else is looking.” Made from impeccable Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan, and Counoise grapes—organically farmed and kept dry by the mistral—grown in sandy molasse, clay, and limestone, this Cairanne bears all of the southern Rhône notes we love: black cherries, garrigue, olives, and stones. It will pair magically with braised oxtails or grilled lamb chops.
—Tom Wolf
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2016 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 51% Grenache, 17.5% Syrah, 17.5% Mourvèdre, 7% Carignan, 7% Counoise |
Appellation: | Cairanne |
Country: | France |
Region: | Southern Rhône |
Producer: | Catherine Le Goeuil |
Winemaker: | Catherine Le Gœuil |
Vineyard: | About 50 years old, 6 ha |
Soil: | Sandy Molasse, Limestone, Clay |
Aging: | Vinification lasts for 2-3 weeks in temperature-controlled cement tanks |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 14.5% |
More from this Producer or Region

2022 Tavel “La Combe des Rieu”
France | Southern Rhône
This bears a rich bouquet of wild strawberry, flowers, garrigue, and sweet spices, culminating in a long, stony finale.

2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Piedlong”
France | Southern Rhône
At once robust, succulent, and elegant, this red offers immediate pleasure and age-worthy promise.

2024 Tavel Rosé
France | Southern Rhône
Stony, spicy, and dense, it evokes red berries, watermelon, and garrigue and offers a beautiful accompaniment to a wide range of dishes.

Clairette de Die “Tradition”
France | Southern Rhône
This festive sparkling wine is vinified following the ancient tradition of one of the most gorgeous corners of France, where small hills grow into small mountains on the flanks of the Alps.

2022 Gigondas “Racines”
France | Southern Rhône
The palate is dense and ripe, yet wonderfully smooth and elegant. Racines seems to tap into the history of Les Pallières, the prestige and the high-toned elegance.

2022 Tavel Rosé HALF BOTTLE
France | Southern Rhône
This dark, autumnal rosé is a beacon of tradition in a sea of paler styles.

2023 Tavel “La Combe des Rieu”
France | Southern Rhône
This bears a rich bouquet of wild strawberry, flowers, garrigue, and sweet spices, culminating in a long, stony finale.

2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Télégramme”
France | Southern Rhône
If Télégramme is more about fruit than stones, it is still undeniably Châteauneuf, expressing the nobility of carefully farmed Grenache from the Rhône’s finest terroirs.

2022 Gigondas “Terrasse du Diable”
France | Southern Rhône
An abundance of violets and velvet, amid a cooling sensation of a cold spring on a hot day.

2023 Beaumes-de-Venise Rouge
France | Southern Rhône
Grenache is joined by Syrah and a drop of Mourvèdre to create this delightful everyday red scented of herbes de Provence and ripe black cherry.
About The Producer
Catherine Le Goeuil
More from Southern Rhône or France
2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau” MAGNUM
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe France | Southern Rhône
2023 Vacqueyras Rouge “ Doucinello”
Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux France | Southern Rhône
2022 Tavel Rosé MAGNUM
Trinquevedel France | Southern Rhône
2023 Ventoux Rouge “Mégaphone”
Famille Brunier France | Southern Rhône
2023 Côtes-du-Rhône “L’Emouvante”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Piedlong”
Famille Brunier France | Southern Rhône
2019 Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise
Domaine de Durban France | Southern Rhône
Clairette de Die “Tradition”
Domaine Achard-Vincent France | Southern Rhône
2022 Tavel Rosé HALF BOTTLE
Trinquevedel France | Southern Rhône
2023 Vacqueyras “Un Sang Blanc”
Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux France | Southern Rhône
2009 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau” HALF-BOTTLE
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe France | Southern Rhône
2022 Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge “Contre Couleur”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau” MAGNUM
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe France | Southern Rhône
2023 Vacqueyras Rouge “ Doucinello”
Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux France | Southern Rhône
2022 Tavel Rosé MAGNUM
Trinquevedel France | Southern Rhône
2023 Ventoux Rouge “Mégaphone”
Famille Brunier France | Southern Rhône
2023 Côtes-du-Rhône “L’Emouvante”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Piedlong”
Famille Brunier France | Southern Rhône
2019 Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise
Domaine de Durban France | Southern Rhône
Clairette de Die “Tradition”
Domaine Achard-Vincent France | Southern Rhône
2022 Tavel Rosé HALF BOTTLE
Trinquevedel France | Southern Rhône
2023 Vacqueyras “Un Sang Blanc”
Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux France | Southern Rhône
2009 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau” HALF-BOTTLE
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe France | Southern Rhône
2022 Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge “Contre Couleur”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
Kermit once said...

Kermit once said...
A good doctor prescribed the wine of Nuits-Saint-Georges to the Sun King, Louis XIV, when he suffered an unknown maladie. When the king’s health was restored the tasty remedy enjoyed a vogue at court. Lord, send me a doctor like that!
Inspiring Thirst, page 117