Lairis - The Legend of the Exploding Hedgehog

Ever wondered the derivation of the names of certain cuvees? Well, here’s a Marcillac named after an exploding hedgehog.

“Lairis” is the local name given to a specific wine-producing parcel originating from a local Aveyron (lofty) tale.  ‘Lairis’ actually means ‘hedgehog’ in the Occitan dialect, and legend tells that many years ago a hedgehog living on this piece of land became an ardent fan of ripe grapes, and, on the day before the harvest was due to take place, this frisky hedgehog hauled himself up into the vine plants in order to feast on the juice of the ripe grapes. When he had sated himself, he prepared to leave and this sudden movement made the remaining grapes explode.  The wine producer arrived the following morning , and, faced with such a scene of destruction (sacré bleu etc), became furious and wailed ”O,Lairis!, O,Lairis! O, blasted (sic!) hedgehog”, hence the origins of this cuvee.

Cuvee Peirafi has a more prosaic explanation. ‘Peirafi’ means fine stones in Occitan. The soil in the vallée of the Aveyron is red, locally called ‘ le Rougier’ and the small limestone stones that have fallen off the looming rocky outcrops and cliffs of this valley during the past centuries and millennia onto this red soil play an important role as captors and reflectors of light and heat, imbuing this wine with its particular character. In the old days the wine experts took out their silver tastevins and tasted this very typical local wine and would exclaim ”Qu’es negre aquel vin! Cossi quo se fa? ( how black this wine is!” ( how makes it so??” and the answer would came back “Aquo es lo Peirafi ” ( “C’est le Peirafi”) - It is the Peirafi (little stones on the soil).