Domaine Courbis - Cornas Champelrose 2019

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This cuvée comes from various vineyard parcels across the Courbis domaine, mostly from vines near the base of Cornas slope. They are blended to produce a wine ready for near term drinking upon release. The soils are a combination of only limestone and granite. he wine has generous, accessible, pure fruit and shows the full character of its appellation in the attractive Courbis house style.

Domaine Courbis Description

The origins of the Courbis family estate date back to the 16th century. More recently, the brothers Dominique and Laurent Courbis have succeeded their father, Maurice, who was the mayor of Chateaubourg, their hometown.

All the grapes are harvested by hand and yields are kept to an average of 30 hl/ha. The fruit is 100% destemmed and the maceration period for the Syrahs lasts between two and three weeks. The wines mature in oak casks which are new or up to three years old. The red wines are fined with egg whites but not filtered and are bottled between two and three years of the harvest.

The wines of the Courbis estate are some of the most compelling examples of St. Joseph and Cornas being made today. The Courbis brothers have combined their long family experience with a modern style and this has earned them international recognition. Robert Parker sums it up in his book on Rhone wines: “Courbis is a name to watch in the Northern Rhone.” Courbis wines regularly receive rave reviews in Wine Spectator, International Wine Cellar, The Wine Advocate and Revue du Vin de France.

Jeb Dunnuck: 94 Points

Looking at the Cornas, the 2019 Cornas Champelrose has a medium to full-bodied, round, nicely textured style, and while it’s unquestionably Cornas, it has a pure, elegant profile as well and I called this quasi-modern in my notes. Asian spice, peppery herbs, sandalwood, and some savory, herbal notes define the bouquet, and it has plenty of ripe, blacker fruits that develop with time in the glass. I like this today, and it should easily continue drinking nicely for another 10-12 years.

Vinous: 94 Points

Spice-accented aromas of black raspberry, violet and smoky minerals, plus a hint of incense in the background. Concentrated yet lively and precise, offering intense dark berry, floral pastille and cracked pepper flavors and a bracing jolt of acidity that adds back-end cut. Fleshes out slowly with air and shows excellent clarity and appealing sweetness on the long, gently tannic finish.