It is hard not to be in awe when tasting an well aged wine that is everything you hoped it would be. The wines of Cornas continue to deliver that excitement for me. The Durand brothers, Eric and Jöel have been running their family estate in the northern Rhône since 1991. They meticulously worked the vineyards by securing their old terraces and caressing the Syrah vines into a new trellis system. They have now grown to 15 hectares in Cornas and also have 10 hectares in St. Joseph. Being a glutton for punishment, these vineyards are not for the faint of heart. The granitic slopes are extremely steep and can be somewhat slippery. It is not an easy task farming up there. In the winery they use a combination of old oak, concrete and stainless steel. Currently the Durand brothers bottle 3 different cuvées for Cornas highlighting a different Terroir: Prémices, Empreintes and Confidence. This 1995 is a blast from their early days running the Domaine. It has evolved into those classic notes of smoke, bacon, olive and wild herbs. The dark fruits are still there but the earthy notes are also in the balance. There are no signs of oxidation or fleshed out fruit. This wine is great now but will definitely age longer. Simply beautiful. Enjoy with grilled or roasted lamb.🍷
Originally posted to instagram.com/culinairegourmet