Winemaker Notes
From a half-hectare of vines in the south-facing, steeply sloped Rovettaz vineyard in the village of Quart, with sandy glacial moraines soils. The grapes are destemmed and ferment spontaneously in 42-hl tronconic wood vats for two weeks, then raised for 8 months in foudres. The wine is subtly herbaceous with dominant notes of red cherry fruit; full bodied and lively, the Cornalin from Grosjean has the potential to be a serious, long-lived wine.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The organic Grosjean 2021 Vallée d'Aoste Cornalin Vigne Rovettaz opens to wild berry with pretty floral tones and fresh pine forest. Those fruit tones turn into wild strawberry or a redcurrant coulis that takes over as the wine opens in the glass. It has a medium-lean finish. Why not serve a glass of this cheerful wine with an easy appetizer of cold cuts and cheese.
Beyond the usual suspects, there are hundreds of red grape varieties grown throughout the world. Some are indigenous specialties capable of producing excellent single varietal wines, while others are better suited for use as blending grapes. Each has its own distinct viticultural characteristics, as well as aroma and flavor profiles, offering much to be discovered by the curious wine lover. In particular, Portugal and Italy are known for having a multitude of unique varieties but they can really be found in any region.
Claiming an impressive list of autochthonous varieties, Valle d'Aosta is a long, narrow valley, formed by Italy’s extreme northwestern Alps. The region, a natural gateway between Italy and France, is also home to many grape migrants from France and its more southerly Italian neighbors. Not surprisingly, wine labels are often written in Italian and French.
The main whites here include: Petite Arvine and Prié blanc (Blanc de Morgex). For reds: Fumin, Cornalin, Mayolet, Petit Rouge, Premetta, Vuillermin, Neblou, and Vien de Nus are unique to the region. French ones that do well are Gamay noir, Pinot noir, Chardonnay and Pinot gris (confusingly called Malvoisie in Aosta but it is not related to Malvasia). Italian grapes common here include Moscato, Dolcetto, Barbera, Nebbiolo, and from farther away, Ciliegiolo.