Cairanne is probably the leading village in the Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages appellation and will surely achieve independent AOC status within the next 2-3 years. The village is located in the Vaucluse region of southern France, just 20 km north-east of Orange and Châteauneuf-du-Pape and the vineyards themselves are located on south facing limestone plateaux just outside the village. This ensures that the vines receive plenty of the sunshine necessary to make the spicy reds that are so closely associated with the region. At Domaine Armand the vines are worked in the traditional way with leaf thinning and the implementation of 'lutte raisonée' (i.e. 'rational' use of chemicals) as part of the respect for the environment. 'Soleiador' is a blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre and 10% Syrah and yields are low at 38 hectolitres per hectare.

A lovely ruby red in colour, look for aromas of ripe prunes and apricots. Fresh and peppery on the palate with hints of cooked spices and liquorice. Great with lasagne, meat loaf or pork sausages. Will keep for a further 5-7 years.