Cornas to drink now: Matt Walls’ top 20
Chunky, spicy, deep, earthy, brooding, sulky, glorious. One of the great joys of Cornas is that you never know quite what you’re going to get. But if you time it right, Cornas can really hit the mark, says Matt Walls.
Notoriously rugged, the only thing that can truly tame a Cornas is time. The question I’m often asked by thirsty Rhône collectors is this – how much longer must I wait?
In fact, there are two main windows in which to open a bottle. The first is when the wine is young, a year or two after bottling, when it’s still surging with fruit and spice. Young Cornas can roar with tannin, but if you like savoury Syrahs with impact and intensity, it can be a thrilling ride. Particularly if paired with similarly sizzling food.
Scroll down for Matt Walls’ top 20 Cornas to drink now
Some argue it’s a waste to open Cornas so young, as you miss out on the complexity of age. They would rather wait for the second drinking window: 10 years or older, when it’s ready to give up some of its deeper secrets.
Producer Guillaume Gilles says that a good Cornas shouldn’t be opened until it’s at least 10 years old, and is unlikely to be fully developed until it’s 20 or 30. ‘The problem is,’ he says ruefully, ‘perhaps I will never see the result of my work.’
When it comes to Cornas, one lifetime is never enough.
Now or later?
Open a bottle between these two windows and you risk disappointment.
The wine can be introverted, in a moody adolescent stage between youth and maturity. This is particularly likely with producers such as Gilles and Domaine Clape who follow a traditional path – so no destemming, and long élevage in large old barrels with no racking or filtration. They’re playing the long game.
Others, such as Eric and Joël Durand, destem their grapes and age them using a proportion of new oak barriques, making a Cornas that’s accessible earlier. Terroir also plays a role; the best lieux-dits on the slope often need longer to come round; those grown on the plateau are ready sooner.
With this in mind, I’m opening 2019 and 2018 now; either that or pulling 2012s and older from the rack. If there’s one vintage that I’d definitely avoid opening now, it’s 2015. But you never know for certain until you pull the cork. So I did.
For the best chance of success, I asked winemakers which vintages they would consider drinking now. I was surprised at how many suggested their 2019s, but it’s a compellingly vibrant year, despite its raw power.
It was no surprise however, that Pierre Clape chose something a little older. I don’t think the old adage ‘good things come to those who wait’ was coined with his wines in mind – but it could have been.
‘Drink to’ dates are always subjective; my suggestions are conservative, and many will last longer, depending on your taste and how the wines are stored.
Matt Walls’ top 20 Cornas to drink now
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Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2006
Wonderful nose now, a perfect state of readiness, notes of mushroom and old leather with some memories of berry fruits underneath. Medium-bodied, with great freshness...
2006
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Vincent Paris, La Geynale, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2012
Very easy to drink and like, a wine with lovely freshness and good fruit still – raspberry and blackberry inlaid with menthol and some spicy...
2012
Domaine Vincent ParisCornas
Guillaume Gilles, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2014
Guillaume's favourite recent vintage, along with 2019. A cauldron of fresh herbs and spices: thyme, oregano, black pepper and dried orange peel. Only medium-bodied, with...
2014
Guillaume GillesCornas
Philippe Pacalet, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2018
Black olive and anchovy tapenade along with a fine smokiness, a beautifully scented wine. Medium-bodied but has great intensity and focus. Raspberry and rosemary on...
2018
Philippe PacaletCornas
Dumien-Serrette, Patou, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2013
Nicolas is the fourth generation to farm their 1.5ha of Cornas. Beginning to enter its mature phase now, with new leather, liquorice and herbal bitters...
2013
Dumien-SerretteCornas
Domaine Courbis, Les Eygats, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2018
All destemmed, matured in new or one-year-old barrels. Plentiful oak spice to the very ripe berry coulis aromas, a smoky paprika hint lends further interest....
2018
Domaine CourbisCornas
Alain Verset, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2017
Emmanuelle took over from her father Alain in 2016. No destemming, aged in used barriques and demi-muids. Still expressive at the time of writing, with...
2017
Alain VersetCornas
Matthieu Barret, Billes Noires, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2016
Smoky blackcurrant and black cherry, fresh and defined, with eucalyptus and rosemary in the background. Light-bodied for a Cornas, with good acidity and a fresh...
2016
Matthieu BarretCornas
M Chapoutier, Temenos, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2016
Very smoky, spicy style, struck flint and oak spice lending a piquancy to the raspberries underneath. Fuller than many 2016s, with good acidity lending an...
2016
M ChapoutierCornas
Domaine Alain Voge, Les Chaillés, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2019
Attractive high-toned spicy note really draws you in, partly from the oak, but also the place. Raspberries and loganberries spiked with Szechuan pepper. Voluminous but...
2019
Domaine Alain VogeCornas
Aurélien Chatagnier, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2019
Aurélien started his estate in 2002 after working at Domaine Jamet. Intense damson and blackberry shot through with well-integrated oak spice. There's a blackcurrant leaf...
2019
Aurélien ChatagnierCornas
Domaine Michelas St Jemms, Les Murettes, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2017
A savoury, woody (rather than oaky) aromatic profile now, with a touch of polish from the oak. Touch of menthol, very generous and mouthfilling. Tannins...
2017
Domaine Michelas St JemmsCornas
Domaine Durand, Confidence, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2017
Black cherry aromas as if baked in a clafoutis - there's a touch of baking spice from the 30% new oak. Very full, generous and...
2017
Domaine DurandCornas
François Villard, Jouvet, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2019
A full, dense and savoury Cornas but nonetheless shows a certain approachability. Dark in the glass, with aromas of smoked sausage and herbs. Very full-bodied...
2019
François VillardCornas
Domaine Mucyn, Hypsos, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2019
A relatively new estate established in 2001 by Hélène and Jean-Pierre Mucyn after they changed careers. More approachable than most 2019s, with charcuterie and smoky...
2019
Domaine MucynCornas
Ferraton Père & Fils, Les Grands Mûriers, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2018
Savoury, herbal elements to the aromatic profile and some just-ripe blackcurrant fruit underneath. Has good weight on the palate, it's powerful, with good acidity. There's...
2018
Ferraton Père & FilsCornas
Domaine Lionnet, Terres Brulées, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2015
A traditional approach at this 4ha estate, no destemming or new oak. Very dark in the glass still, with blackberries, liquorice and burnt herbs swirling...
2015
Domaine LionnetCornas
Tardieu-Laurent, Vieilles Vignes, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2016
A blend of two lieux-dits, Les Eygats et Patou. Showing some smoky reduction still, and a little black pepper on the nose. More generous and...
2016
Tardieu-LaurentCornas
Domaine Jacques Leménicier, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2019
Jacques worked with Alain Voge before establishing his own estate in Cornas and Saint-Péray. Full-bodied, very generous, with plenty of blackberry and blackcurrant fruit, liquorice...
2019
Domaine Jacques LeménicierCornas
Pierre Gaillard, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2019
From an east-facing parcel of 70-year-old vines, all destemmed and aged in barriques, 50% new. A very ripe style, with dried fig and dark chocolate,...
2019
Pierre GaillardCornas
