DOMAINE LIONNET

2004 VINTAGE

CORNAS “TERRE BRULÉE”

We have enormous faith in the good taste and wisdom of Bernard Levet who has been supplying us with the most traditional and classic wines from Cote Rotie since the 1983 vintage. So, when he recommended that we visit Corinne Lionnet and her husband, Ludovic Izerable, we promptly made an appointment to visit this tiny estate in Cornas. Here we found a young couple whose philosophy marries perfectly to ours. There are no tricks, no fancy footwork in the cellar, just an allegiance to working the vineyards, relying on old vines well-placed, and a long, tranquil fermentation and elevage. The ultimate wine, bottled unfiltered and unfined, is a joyous expression of Cornas, with its rendition of the granite soil, firm backbone, and severe but deep fruit. The wine is drawn essentially from three parcels spread out in different zones in Cornas. The major part of the wine is made from grapes harvested from 60 year-old vines. As with the best of Cornas, there is an initial reticence and then a profound mix of plum-like fruit and wild berries is revealed. The high-toned, long, mineral-inflected finish announces a wine that should age with grace. This is the first of what we are certain will be many masterpieces to arrive from this estate.