Winemaker Notes
A highly concentrated wine, packed with mineral-tinged smoky black fruit that can age for many years but is always inviting when young.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2017 Cornas Les Eygats offers a more granite-driven bouquet of bloody blue fruits, liquid rocks, violets, game, and smoked meat. With full-bodied richness, integrated acidity, plenty of tannins, and more than enough fruit and pure opulence on the palate, this beauty needs 4-5 years of bottle age but is a singular, brilliant wine in every sense. This cuvée was destemmed and brought up in 50% new barrels. Rating: 96+
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
In contrast to the Champelrose, which seemed to be closing down slightly, the 2017 Cornas les Eygats was in fine form at the domaine last July. Crushed stone notes and hints of resinous herbs accent red currants and cassis in a wine that's full-bodied and velvety. It's aged in 50% new oak, yet that's barely perceptible, except perhaps in the wine's richer, plusher texture.
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Wine Spectator
Very fresh, with a lovely beam of cassis, plum puree and cherry preserve flavors gliding along. Polished overall, but hints of singed alder, bramble and olive peek through, revealing a pleasant underlying minerality. A modern-styled version that keeps its roots intact. Best from 2021 through 2037.
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.