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Côtes du Rhône Wines
One of France’s major rivers, the Rhône winds its way from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean sea. In wine terms, we think mainly of the lower section of the river, from Lyon to the Mediterranean. Côtes du Rhône (CdR) wines come from the southernmost reach of the river, from Montelimar to Avignon. The region produces approximately 74% red wines, 14% rosé, and 12%white wines. Côtes du Rhône red wines are made from a variety of grapes, principally Grenache, Syrah and Mouvedre. These grapes all thrive in the warm Mediterranean climate. White Côtes du Rhone wines are blends made from a variety of grapes, primarily Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Bourboulenc, and Viognier.

Mas de Libian
Mas de Libian is located in St.-Marcel d’Ardèche, a village in the southeast corner of the Ardéche region, which also happens to be classified as AOC Côtes du Rhône. The Thibon family has owned the land since 1670 and the 25 hectares (about 62 acres) has never been farmed chemically. The modern story started in 1970 with the building of a cellar and dedication to the wine business. The vineyards were worked organically from the beginning and achieved biodynamic certification in 2005. There are also 8 hectares of non-vineyard “nourishing land” as part of the estate. The vines are worked manually and plowing is done by two horses, also owned by the family.

The Thibon family was one of two families featured in a documentary a few years ago, Weed & Wine (they are the wine part of the movie). The movie explores generational change in the agricultural setting from the very different settings of marijuana in Humboldt County, California and grape growing/winemaking in the Ardèche at Mas de Libian. The movie is well worth watching with personal views from both families. There is even talk of a sequel in the works!

Disclosure: The wines in this post were samples from the winery. No other compensation was involved, all opinions are mine.

Mas de Libian Khayyâm Côtes du Rhône
Mas de Libian notes the following about the name: “A vintage in homage to Omar Khayyam, Persian Muslim poet and mathematician of the 11th century, who wrote several hundred quatrains celebrating wine and women, and the philosophy of Carpe Diem.”(translated) You’ll note the quote on the wine label!

Mas de Libian Khayyâm Côtes du Rhône 2024 (sample, 15€ in France, around $20 in the US) 13%abv
Grapes: Grenache 70%, Mourvedre 15% and Syrah 15%. Harvested entirely by hand, limited intervention winemaking (in accordance with biodynamic rules), half the wine is aged 9 months in large oak foudre.
Eye: Medium ruby
Nose: Medium plus intensity aromas of red cherries, strawberries, red plums, fresh garrique, a bit of olive tapenade
Mouth: Dry, tart medium plus acidity, refined medium minus tannins, medium body with a rich fruity texture, medium alcohol, medium plus flavor intensity, medium finish. Flavors follow the nose with the addition of a hint of tobacco.
Observations: This wine tells us it’s from a place where the grapes get nice and ripe without the flavors going into baked fruit or raisins. Rich and attractive, it retains a lively acidity.

Mas de Libian at the Dinner Table: Pork Tenderloin with Mushrooms

I paired the Mas de Libian Khayyâm with a nice winter dish of Pork Tenderloin with Mushrooms. While dishes listed as “one pan” rarely are, this was a pretty easy meal to prepare and the results were very nice, even worthy of company. Roasting the mushrooms gave a very nice texture quite different from the more typical sauté. The Khayyâm was very food-friendly with a nice refreshing acidity and enough richness for both the pork and the mushrooms. We’ll have this combination again!

Extra Fun with Mas de Libian Bout d’Z*n Côtes du Rhône
Mas de Libian also provided a sample of their Bout d’Z*n Côtes du Rhône. I enjoyed comparing these two wines, as they have slightly different grape compositions and are likely from different vineyard plots. The Khayyâm includes a healthy dose of Mourvedre while the Bout d’Z*n is just Grenache and Syrah. Khayyâm tended toward red fruit and had a nice herbal/garrique element. The Bout d’Z*n leaned further into dark blue fruit with a bit of anise/licorice.