M.Chapoutier Temenos Cornas

Key characteristics:

M.Chapoutier Temenos Cornas is a Cornas Syrah of rare intensity, capturing the granite terroir with bold fruit, refined spice, and a structure built for aging. It is an intense, structured, and muscular wine, offering superb concentration and classical Syrah characteristics.

Tasting Notes:

• Variety: 100% Syrah.
• Appearance: Deep black hue flecked with youthful purple highlights.
• Aroma: A reductive nose reveals notes of graphite, black fruit jelly, and laurel, complemented by hints of cedar, fig leaf, espresso, smoke, and crushed rock. Expect nuances of dark berries, earth, and spices.
• Taste: Expansive on entry, with a rich mid-palate framed by velvety tannins. It delivers layers of ripe black fruit, dark cherries, plums, spice, and subtle sooty notes, showcasing a balance between freshness and power.
• Region: Cornas, located at the southern edge of the Northern Rhône, is an esteemed terroir for Syrah. Its amphitheater of steep, south- and east-facing slopes provides abundant sunshine, while decomposed granite soils, known locally as “gore,” impart distinctive mineral depth. M. Chapoutier selects parcels from sites like Les Reynards, Mazard, and Saint-Pierre, contributing maturity, minerality, volume, body, freshness, and complexity.
• Pairing: Excellent with beef skewers marinated in pesto, braised lamb shank, wild boar stew, or other classic meat dishes such as veal, pork, duck, and game. It also pairs well with hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, and pasta.

Overall impression:

This Cornas walks a fine line between freshness and power, destined for long cellaring and offering a complex, structured profile that evolves magnificently with time.

Extra notes:

• The name “Temenos” is derived from the ancient Greek word meaning “sacred enclosure,” reflecting M. Chapoutier’s reverence for these exceptional parcels.
• M. Chapoutier is a pioneer in sustainable viticulture, having implemented biodynamic farming practices as early as 1991,