Description

“Readers who love classic, yet clean and impeccably made Cornas should jump on the 2020 Cornas from Johann Michel. Sporting a deep purple hue as well as killer notes of black cherries, scorched earth, iron, graphite, and violets, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a focused, firm, yet layered mouthfeel, a good sense of freshness, and enough tannins to allow it to evolve for 15+ years.” 94 Points, Jeb Dunnuck

”Highly perfumed bouquet evokes smoke-accented cherry, blackberry, incense, candied violet and exotic spices, along with mineral notes in the background. Offers appealing dark fruit, floral, and espresso flavors that are supported by an undercurrent of juicy acidity. Round, well-judged tannins come up steadily on a very long, energetic finish that echoes the floral and spice notes.” 94 Points, Josh Raynolds, Vinous Media

Cornas is one of the smallest appellations in all of France, and is known for its earthy Syrah—the only grape that can be grown on the steep sand, granite, and limestone slopes of the west side of the Rhône River. Because of this verticality, machinery can not be used, so the 40-year-old vines are tended to by hand. Johann works to keep his yields low (of which the region is already notoriously low at 33 hl/ha), resulting in intensely concentrated grapes to wines that are a true expression of this powerful terroir. His Cornas, after being hand harvested is fermented with 100% destemmed fruits and are aged in demi-muid barrels for around 15 months, and bottled unfined but lightly filtered.