# Cornas Les Vieilles Vignes (2023)

- **Producer:** Alain Voge
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Syrah
- **Region:** Rhône, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.0%
- **Average price:** €75
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Later
- **Serving temperature:** 16–18 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** blackberry, blackcurrant, cherry, plum, violet, black pepper, herbaceous, smoke, cedar, vanilla, cloves, leather, game, forest floor

## About this wine

Alain Voge is a legendary estate in Cornas, instrumental in the appellation's renaissance during the late 20th century. The 'Les Vieilles Vignes' cuvée is crafted from Syrah vines aged up to 60 years, grown on steep, granite terraces locally called 'chaillées' facing south and south-west. These old vines yield small, highly concentrated berries that capture the intense, mineral-driven essence of the Cornas terroir. Under the guidance of the late Alain Voge and now Lionel Fraisse, the estate has transitioned fully to organic and biodynamic farming, preserving the wild, untamed character of the region.

## Interesting facts

- The vines for this cuvée are up to 60 years old, planted on incredibly steep granite terraces called 'chaillées'.
- Alain Voge was a pioneer in Cornas, helping to save the appellation from obscurity in the 1960s and 1970s.
- The estate is fully certified organic and biodynamic, practicing manual cultivation on slopes too steep for tractors.

## Food pairing

The robust structure, firm tannins, and high acidity of this old-vine Cornas require rich, savory dishes with plenty of protein and fat to soften the tannins. The wine's natural black pepper, herbal, and dark fruit notes harmonize beautifully with game, roasted meats, and earthy mushroom-based dishes.

## Wine making process

The grapes are hand-harvested from steep slopes where mechanization is impossible. Fermentation takes place in small stainless steel and concrete vats with indigenous yeasts. A portion of whole clusters is retained to add freshness and structure. The wine is aged for approximately 16 to 18 months in small oak barrels (pièces and demi-muids), of which only a small percentage is new, ensuring the oak complements rather than dominates the pure granite-driven Syrah fruit.