Wines from Cornas

Cornas is a region that is often spoken about but little seen in the UK. The appellation is small at around 120 hectares and is for red wines only, made from Syrah. Cornas tends to be full bodied, generous and heady, full of richly structured smoky tannins in youth, these gradually fall away over 3-8 years leaving notes more similar to Hermitage, with notes of pepper, dark fruits, leather and warm earth, albeit without the generous and enveloping fruit. Acidities tend to be a little higher and these give the wines of Cornas a distinctive 'bite' as well as help ageing.