Cornas Vin Noir Tunnel (Domaine du) 2004

Stéphane Robert and his wife Sandrine established their property in 1994. It takes its name from the stone tunnel running beneath the land. The 9-hectare vineyard spans three appellations: Saint Péray, Saint Joseph and Cornas. Stéphane has made a name for himself in the region, and makes wines that are ideal for ageing. The couple practices sustainable viticulture, working all their land manually or with a horse where the terrain permits this. The steepest plots are ploughed with the help of a winch. The grapes are harvested by hand and sorted in situ.

The domain's Vin Noir is a selection of three century-old vines grown in the Champelrose, Les Eygats and La Combe lieux-dits. The Syrah grapes are cultivated by hand and vatted for two weeks. Fairly unobtrusive at first scent, Stéphane Roberti's Vin Noir then delivers refined scents of black berries and pepper, as well as smoky notes. It is more dense and tannic than the domain's traditional Cornas, and has good potential for keeping.