Xavier Vignon Arcane Le SoleilRich and inviting, Le Soleil immediately captures the eye with its deep ruby colour. On the nose, it bursts with aromas of ripe black cherries, blueberries, and violets, lifted by subtle hints of spice, chocolate, and wild herbs.The palate is smooth and generous, full of juicy red and black fruits balanced by soft, silky tannins. Layers of spice and a touch of earthiness add depth, while the finish is long, warming, and beautifully refined.
Crafted mainly from old-vine Grenache, with Syrah and Mourvèdre adding structure, this wine offers both power and elegance. Enjoy it now for its vibrant fruit, or allow it to age for greater complexity over the next decade.
Wine Profile
Region
:
Cote De Rhone
Classification
:
AOP
Appellation
:
Cote du Rhone Villages
LWIN
:
1639919
Flavours
Raspberry
Strawberry
Violet
Spice
Strawberry
Blueberry
Blackcherry
Dark Chocolate
Food Pair
Mature Cheese
Venison
Beef
Osso buco
Duck
Risotto
About this WINE
Grenache
Tannic, spicy, herbal and a ripe sweetnessGrenache Noir or Garnacha, as it is called in Spain, is one of the most widely planted grapes, especially around the Mediterranean. Believed to originate from Spain, this theory has recently been challenged by researches claiming its home to be the island of Sardegna, Italy.In the Southern Rhône Valley in France, Grenache Noir is often blended with Mourvèdre and Syrah, but it is probably best known as one of the principal grapes in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, comprising 70 percent of the blend. But this vigorous variety is also an important component in Gigon
Mourvedre
Red fruits, flowers, herbs and gameThis late-ripening and sun-loving grape is often considered a bit of diva, because it requires a lot of patience and attention. Mourvèdre is grown widely, but is most popular in France and Spain. It is believed to originate from Spain, where it is known as Monastrell or Mataró.Mourvèdre is one of Rhône’s major grapes and one of the regular supporting grapes in the famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines. To experience a wine where Mourvèdre is the dominant grape, look to the region of Bandol. Here it’s required that 50- 95 percent is Mourvèdre and it’s also where yo
Syrah
Syrah Syrah, also known as Shiraz, is a dark-skinned grape variety grown throughout the world and used primarily to produce red wine. In 1999, Syrah was found to be the offspring of two obscure grapes from southeastern France, Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche
About this WINE
The Producer
Xavier Vignon – The Visionary of the RhôneXavier Vignon stands as one of the Rhône Valley’s most respected oenologists and master blenders. With decades of experience consulting for renowned domaines, he has built a reputation for wines that unite scientific precision with artistic creativity.His signature style lies in multi-vintage blending and innovative techniques such as his celebrated Arcane series and pioneering ageing methods, which bring out both purity and complexity in each cuvée. From classic appellations like Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas to rare, limited-edition releases, Xavi...
Xavier Vignon – The Visionary of the RhôneXavier Vignon stands as one of the Rhône Valley’s most respected oenologists and master blenders. With decades of experience consulting for renowned domaines, he has built a reputation for wines that unite scientific precision with artistic creativity.His signature style lies in multi-vintage blending and innovative techniques such as his celebrated Arcane series and pioneering ageing methods, which bring out both purity and complexity in each cuvée. From classic appellations like Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas to rare, limited-edition releases, Xavier’s wines embody elegance, balance, and a deep respect for terroir.Each bottle is more than a wine—it is a reflection of Xavier’s philosophy: bold yet refined, rooted in tradition yet unafraid to innovate, and always crafted to leave a lasting impression.
The Region
Côtes du RhôneAt the generic level, the official AOC Côtes du Rhône region stretches 200 km from Vienne in the north to Avignon in the south and from the foothills of the Massif Central in the west to the fore-slopes of the Vaucluse and Luberon mountains east of the town of Orange. 171 communes in the French departments of Ardèche, Bouches du Rhône, Drôme, Gard, Loire, and Vaucluse are concerned with production from the 83,839 (2008) hectares of vineyard. The average yield is 52 hectolitres per hectare. Wines of all three colours must have a minimum alcohol content of 11%. The average annual p...
Côtes du RhôneAt the generic level, the official AOC Côtes du Rhône region stretches 200 km from Vienne in the north to Avignon in the south and from the foothills of the Massif Central in the west to the fore-slopes of the Vaucluse and Luberon mountains east of the town of Orange. 171 communes in the French departments of Ardèche, Bouches du Rhône, Drôme, Gard, Loire, and Vaucluse are concerned with production from the 83,839 (2008) hectares of vineyard. The average yield is 52 hectolitres per hectare. Wines of all three colours must have a minimum alcohol content of 11%. The average annual production of CDR of around 3.3 million hectolitres – 419 million bottles – (2005/2006), is assured by 5,292 concerns including 5,202 growers, 875 private producers, 70 co-operative wineries, and 20 merchant/producers and blenders, making it one of the largest single appellation regions in the world.Red and rosé wines are made from Grenache noir, Syrah, Cinsault, Carignane, Counoise and Mourvèdre grapes varieties. A maximum of 20% white varieties may be used in the rosés. All reds grown south of Montélimar must contain a minimum of 40% Grenache, and may contain up to 5% white grapes. A red from anywhere in the appellation must contain a minimum of 15% Syrah and/or Mourvedre. The whites must contain a minimum blend of 80% Clairette, Grenache blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Bourboulenc, and Viognier. Ugni blanc and Picpoul blanc may be used as secondary varieties.A white Côtes du Rhône wine, in this case dominated by Viognier and RoussanneThere are two sub regions of Rhône wines:Côtes du Rhône septentrional in the northern part of the region from Vienne to Valence. The vines are cultivated on very steep slopes making the harvest extremely arduous. The grapes are manually picked and have to be hauled up the hillside on trolleys, a feature which adds to the price. Syrah is the dominant red grape in this area.Côtes du Rhône méridional from Montélimar to Avignon in the southern latitudes, produced by 123 communes. The great majority of these are cultivated on the eastern side of the Rhône between the river bank near the town of Orange, and the Vaucluse-Luberon chain of mountains. The wines here are anchored by Grenache noir but typically include other grapes such as Syrah and Mourvedre. The reds range in color from deep crimson and ruby to almost purple and are generally full-bodied with rich but smooth tannins, though Lirac and others from the right bank tend to be somewhat lighter. They all go very well with game and other rich meat dishes.The whites range from dry with a tang of citrus to fuller, rounder wines which can be consumed as an aperitif. Condrieu, a septentrional, is one of the rarest white wines in the world and is produced from 100% Viognier – a notoriously difficult grape to vinify.Year of Production : In general, the year-to-year climate of the region remains fairly constant although there may be rare occasions of spring frost which may damage the buds, thus reducing the overall yield. Drought may also affect the quantity of production. Sunlight levels are usually the average to be expected. The year of production on a label is therefore not necessarily a sign of any particular quality due to exceptionally favourable wine growing weather; it is more indicative of how the wine can be expected to have matured over a number of years.
