2020 Cornas, Guillaume Gilles, Rhône
Critics reviews
Vivid purple. Deeply pitched cherry, dark berry preserve and liquorice aromas pick up smoky mineral, olive and floral notes with air. Chewy and penetrating on the palate, offering concentrated, mineral-drenched bitter cherry, blackberry, fruitcake and floral pastille flavors that spread out steadily and turn sweeter with air. It shows a solid grip and resonating minerality on a wonderfully long, smoky finish that echoes the dark berry and liquorice notes. This is all Chaillot fruit, Gilles told me.
Drink 2028 - 2038
Josh Raynolds, Vinous.com (December 2022)
About this WINE
Guillaume Gilles
Cornas
Cornas is a small appellation, just 150 hectares, located south of St Joseph. It’s on the west side of the river. The name “Cornas” comes from an old Celtic dialect term, meaning “burnt land”, so it’s no surprise that on the steep terraces here, facing south, temperatures are significantly higher than those in Hermitage, which is just 7km away.
The granite soils are home to the Syrah grape, producing reds that sit somewhere between those of Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie. These are strong and powerful wines, with nervy acidity and a robust, rustic charm to them. Their prominent tannins mean that they often demand time in the cellar to express their underlying elegance and complexity.
Syrah/Shiraz
A noble black grape variety grown particularly in the Northern Rhône where it produces the great red wines of Hermitage, Cote Rôtie and Cornas, and in Australia where it produces wines of startling depth and intensity. Reasonably low yields are a crucial factor for quality as is picking at optimum ripeness. Its heartland, Hermitage and Côte Rôtie, consists of 270 hectares of steeply terraced vineyards producing wines that brim with pepper, spices, tar and black treacle when young. After 5-10 years they become smooth and velvety with pronounced fruit characteristics of damsons, raspberries, blackcurrants and loganberries.
It is now grown extensively in the Southern Rhône where it is blended with Grenache and Mourvèdre to produce the great red wines of Châteauneuf du Pape and Gigondas amongst others. Its spiritual home in Australia is the Barossa Valley, where there are plantings dating as far back as 1860. Australian Shiraz tends to be sweeter than its Northern Rhône counterpart and the best examples are redolent of new leather, dark chocolate, liquorice, and prunes and display a blackcurrant lusciousness.
South African producers such as Eben Sadie are now producing world- class Shiraz wines that represent astonishing value for money.
Buying options
Add to wishlist
Description
Save 10% on the 75cl bottle, previously priced at £60.50. Offer valid while stocks last. BBX listings excluded.
Vivid purple. Deeply pitched cherry, dark berry preserve and liquorice aromas pick up smoky mineral, olive and floral notes with air. Chewy and penetrating on the palate, offering concentrated, mineral-drenched bitter cherry, blackberry, fruitcake and floral pastille flavors that spread out steadily and turn sweeter with air. It shows a solid grip and resonating minerality on a wonderfully long, smoky finish that echoes the dark berry and liquorice notes. This is all Chaillot fruit, Gilles told me.
Drink 2028 - 2038
Josh Raynolds, Vinous.com (December 2022)
wine at a glance
Delivery and quality guarantee