Domaine Alain Voge

This domaine rose to prominence when Alain Voge joined his father’s smallholding in the late 1950s, moving it from polyculture to focusing exclusively on wine. Alain rapidly became the Cornas appellation’s greatest advocate: he championed its reputation internationally as well as at home and, until his death in 2020, was regarded as the godfather of this portion of the Rhône.

In his five decades at the domaine, Alain worked meticulously in the vineyards, replanting abandoned slopes, regenerating old-vine Syrah and using traditional winemaking techniques to produce increasingly noteworthy wines. Following Alain’s retirement 2004, Chapoutier alumnus Albéric Mazoyer took over as co-owner and winemaker, moving the domaine to biodynamic practices. Since 2018, Lionel Fraisse has been at the helm. He continues to champion the sustainable winemaking of his predecessors.

Today, the domaine spans more than 12 hectares: eight in Cornas and four in St Péray. It is farmed organically and biodynamically. Wines are vinified traditionally – largely de-stemmed and with no new oak influences. Despite burgeoning interest and price appreciation in the Northern Rhône, these wines still offer outstanding value.

The 2019 vintage displays intense, ripe fruits. The wines have the tannic structure for which Cornas is renowned, but they are refined rather than robust – testament to skilled work in the vineyard and, of course, the cellar.