A great classic of the estate, this cuvée is also the oldest. From vines sixty years old, deeply rooted in old granite soils, it was produced using methods that respect nature. The berries were harvested by hand, partially destemmed and then fermented with indigenous yeasts before macerating for several weeks in stainless steel vats. During this time, Alain Voge and his team carried out regular punching down and pumping over: up to twice a day.
The nose of this Cornas Vieilles Vignes commands respect with its very distinguished style: black fruits, notes of burnt herbs refreshed by a sumptuous floral aspect. The mouth offers a bloodier style well balanced by a mineral freshness. It reveals a perfect balance between fruity volume and acidity, exceptional length and firm tannins.
If the success of this cuvée spans the decades, the bottle you buy will do so too: its aging potential is mind-blowing. Forget it for a good twenty years in the cellar before enjoying it with game.
Reviews:
- Wine Enthusiast: Old vines averaging 60 years and long oak maturation (20% in new oak) lend spicy, sweet notes of cinnamon toast and clove to deeply concentrated black plum and blackberry flavors in this wine. It’s a profoundly concentrated, almost creamy, Syrah balanced by tart cassis acidity and ripe but firm, lingering tannins. Delicious already the wine should show even better from 2022 and improve through 2037.
- Decanter: Vines with an average age of 60 years from lieux-dits Combe, Patou, La Côte, Les Mazards and Chaillot provide the fruit for this Cornas. It spends 20 months in barriques, around 20% new. There are multiple layers to the aromatic palate: rosemary, thyme, herbal bitters, blackberry, blackcurrant and loganberry. A medium-bodied, concentrated but unforced wine with no excessive extraction, a subtly spiced finish and sinewy, brushed tannins. Detailed, focussed, structured and textural, this is captivating and true to its terroir.
Producer Information
In 1958, Alain Voge joined his father to work on the small family farm and decided to abandon polyculture to devote himself to wine. He develops direct bottle sales and promotes the Cornas appellation, which has long remained in the shadow of the other northern Rhône appellations. Cornas therefore owes a lot to this man who replanted and revived his vineyard. Today, the family has vines in several appellations: Cornas (6.5 ha), Saint-Péray (4 ha), Saint-Joseph and red Côtes-du-Rhône. His Syrahs are celebrated around the world, as are his superb white and sparkling wines from Saint-Péray. Associated since 2004 with Albéric Mazoyer, the former technical director of Chapoutier, the estate continues to progress. Since 2013, the estate has been certified biodynamic. The wines have gained in accessibility in their youth, without losing aging potential. An absolute reference.
