Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Impressive ripeness and depth here in combination with contained complexity and plenty of detail on the nose and palate. Aromas of ripe dark plums and spiced chocolate. The palate has an expansive build and is really pure and superbly balanced. Approachable now, but best from 2020+.
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Wine Spectator
This has a lively core of raspberry and bitter cherry coulis flavors, backed by energetic bramble and bay notes. A snap of dried anise and a fine chalky spine enlivens the finish further. Should unfurl with moderate cellaring. Best from 2017 through 2025.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The estate produced two Cornas cuvées in 2014, as well as a terrific St Joseph. Violets, blackberries, black raspberries, crushed rocks and peppery herbs all emerge from the gorgeously pure, balanced, medium-bodied 2014 Cornas les Chailles. It has solid depth of fruit, ripe, polished tannin and a great finish, and it's already hard to resist.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
Distinguished as a fine Syrah producing zone since the 18th century, Cornas, like Cote Rotie, is made up of vineyards covering steep and hard-to-work, granite terraces. As a result the region’s wines fell out of favor during the mid 20th century when the global market was more focused on bulk wines and vineyards that yielded high quantities. It wasn’t until the 1980s when a group of energetic young winemakers reestablished the integrity of these precipitous terraces and also began making an ultra-modern style of Syrah. The new style didn’t need a decade before it was drinkable and could reach the consumer faster than the region’s traditional wines. Given the new quality coming out of the zone, its popularity once again soared and today a good Cornas can easily challenge many of those from Hermitage. Characteristics of Syrah from Cornas include teeth-staining flavors of blackberry jam, plum, pepper, violets, smoked game, charcoal, chalk dust and smoke.