Johann Michel - Cornas Cuvee Jana 2020

Add to Wish List

Jana is the name of Johann and Emmanuelle's daughter. Cuvee Jana displays black raspberry aromas, licorice, sizzled bacon and smoke. Elegant and pure, with depth and well-integrated tannins. This wine is made from grapes coming from 2 different lieu-dits: The parcel in the lieu-dit “Chaillot” was planted in 2000 by Johann himself. The parcel in the lieu-dit “Les Côtes” was planted mostly in 2001 and 2003, also by Johann, but every year he is planting more vines on this parcel. The vines are not coming from massal selection. It is a selection of the best Syrah vines from 2 “nurseries” : Domaine Auguste Clape and Domaine Courbis.

Johann Michel Description

Johann Michel is a self-taught winemaker who discovered his passion while tasting old bottles of wine with his grandfather. His first vintage was 1997. He works alongside his wife Emmanuelle, farming a little over 5.5 hectares (13.5 acres) spread between three AOC’s:

4 hectares are in Cornas, all farmed under "culture raisonnée" (sustainable method), in the lieux dits "Les Côtes", "Bayonnet", "Chaillot" and the parcel called "Saveaux" for the AOC Cornas. Yields are very low here – 33 hl/ha for Cornas Tradition and 25 hl/ha for Cuvee Jana. He also produces a special cuvée, only in certain years: “Cuvée de la Mère Michel”, a tribute to his wife & a play on the French song “La Mere Michelle”. AOC Cornas is one of the smallest AOC’s in France (only 155 hectares; 382 acres) with an average production of 61,000 cases per year for the entire appellation.

0.37 hectares in Saint Joseph AOC. Planted only with Syrah, Johann’s first vintage was 2016 with 700 bottles produced. The vineyard is 120 meters high in altitude with a density of 4,400 vines per hectare. The Saint Joseph wine is made using 100% destemmed grapes. Saint Joseph AOC is quite large compared to Cornas AOC, with a total acreate around 920 hectares (2,270 acres). The quality of the soils can be very different from one part to the appellation to another part of the AOC.

1 hectare in Saint Peray, planted with Marsanne and Roussanne. His parcels are located at the extreme South of the Saint Peray AOC (a few meters away from the border with the Cornas AOC). Johann makes 2 cuvées of Saint Peray: Saint Peray Blanc (a blend of 50% Roussanne and 50% Marsanne), and Saint Peray Blanc Cuvée M (100% Marsanne).

Vinous: 97 Points

Highly perfumed, oak-spiced black and blue fruits, incense, vanilla and potpourri on the hugely perfumed nose, along with hints of licorice, smoked meat and mocha. Stains the palate with concentrated, spice-laced blueberry, cassis, cherry-vanilla and espresso flavors that turn sweeter as the wine opens up. Broad, polished tannins add shape to a strikingly long, smoke- and spice-driven finish that strongly echoes the floral and blue fruit notes.

Jeb Dunnuck: 96 Points

A smaller production release, the 2020 Cornas Cuvée Jana is deep purple-hued and gives up a more reticent nose of black cherries and darker fruits supported by notes of scorched earth, graphite, and bloody meat. This rich, concentrated beauty has massive concentration, building yet ripe, velvety tannins, and a great, great finish. It's another heavenly Cornas from this estate that readers will absolutely love to have in their cellar.