Lirac sits just across the Rhone from Chateauneuf-du-Pape same kinds of stones, same warm Mediterranean sun, a fraction of the fanfare. Clos du Mont-Olivet, the Sabon family’s storied Chateauneuf estate, treats their Lirac vines with the same care as the home vineyards: Grenache-led blend with Syrah, Mourvedre, and Cinsault, aged in old foudres to keep the focus on fruit and place rather than wood. The result is generous, peppery, garrigue-scented southern Rhone that drinks beautifully young but has the bones to hold. A near-Chateauneuf for a friendly price.