Cornas AOC
Small northern Rhône appellation producing only Syrah red wine.
Last updated
via Wikipedia: Cornas AOC · see source
Cornas, a tiny French wine appellation in the northern Rhône valley south of Lyon, produces only red wine from the Syrah grape. Its 90 hectares yield an average of 4,000 hectoliters annually, less than some single Bordeaux estates.
The Celtic name means "burnt earth," with wine mentioned in records from 885. Louis XV and Cardinal Richelieu supposedly admired it. Granted AOC status in 1938, local producers did not start bottling their own wine until 1950.
Climate and geography
Cornas, along with the rest of the northern Rhône, has a continental climate rather than the Mediterranean climate found in the south. However, unlike some of the other northern Rhône appellations, Cornas is mostly shielded from the cold mistral winds that can last into the spring, and is often the first appellation in the north to begin the harvest. The vineyards are just north of Valence, in a fairly small area of steep slopes facing east-southeast, south of Tain l'Hermitage. The vineyards are situated between 100 m and 400 m above sea level.
In the northern part, especially near "Les Chaillot," the soil contains chalk but is mostly sandy and rocky, with characteristic reddish-brown dirt. The sunny sector of "Quartier de Reynard" which has vines at 300 m has a granite soil. To the south, near "La Côte" and "La Combe," the soil is mostly clay.
Grapes and wine
Along with most wines produced in the northern Rhône, Cornas is a red wine made from the Syrah grape. No white wines are produced. Any wines designated Cornas AOC will be made from 100% Syrah by law.
Although growers could plant different grape varieties in Cornas, the appellation is planted exclusively with Syrah, as any wine made from other grapes would have to be sold under a different label, probably Côtes du Rhône AOC, and as a result would fetch a lower price. Cornas used to produce wines which required long ageing, but a new more fruit forward style has emerged under the impulse of winemaker Jean-Luc Colombo. Several producers still produce a more traditional style which typically requires 6–7 years in barrel and bottle before it is approachable.
More in Rhône Wine AOCs
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Cornas AOC (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced