2022 Cornas, Domaine de Saint Pierre, Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné, Rhône
Critics reviews
Cask sample. Cola and raw meat on the nose, some balsamic notes and spice. The palate is fresh and surprisingly bright and vibrant. The tannins are firm and still need plenty of time, the oak is there in the background. Good intensity of fruit as well, some stony, earthy and iodine notes. Attractive, both dense and elegant at the same time!
Drink 2026 - 2032
Alistair Cooper MW, JancisRobinson.com (September 2023)
The oak here is quite dominant, giving a smooth feel on the palate and polishing down the Cornas tannins. Good feeling of freshness, liquorice and violets, it has finesse and no greeness. Tannins are robust but supple and should soften. From the lieu-dit Saint-Pierre on the plateau and an estate bought by Jaboulet in 1996, the same time as Domaine de Roure.
Drink 2028 - 2036
Matt Wells, Decanter.com (September 2023)
About this WINE
Jaboulet
Paul Jaboulet Aîné is an iconic producer in the Rhône Valley. Founded in 1834 by Antoine Jaboulet (father of Paul), it was Paul’s son Louis and grandson Gérard who can be heralded among the great ambassadors for both the region and the négociant. Upon Gérard’s untimely death in 1997, the business began struggling and was sold to the Frey family in 2005.
Caroline Frey, daughter of owner Jean-Jacques Frey, has been at the helm of winemaking here since 2006. She immediately began converting the estate to sustainable farming, achieving organic certification in 2016. In 2022, Jean-Guillaume Prats, of Bordeaux fame, was brought onboard.
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.
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Description
Here we reach dizzying heights of Cornas, with vines planted at 380m in 1954 – always Jaboulet’s final plot to harvest. Gentle extraction gives smooth tannins without dustiness, and the bouquet is floral – seemingly an indicator of this vintage. Flavours of sweet morello cherries and spiced plums coat the palate. Though still tightly wound, this will be outstanding in a few years.
Drink 2026 - 2036
Berry Bros. & Rudd
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