Cornas

Located in the northern Rhone region south of Lyon, Cornas AOC is one of the smallest appellations in the Rhone Valley and only produces red wine from Syrah. The Celtic meaning for Cornas translates to “burnt earth” and first mentions of the wine region date all the way back to 885.

Much like other appellations in northern Rhone, Cornas has a continental climate but is shielded from the cold mistral winds that others cannot escape. For this reason, Cornas is usually the first appellation in the region to begin harvest. The particularity of this AOC is that all of the wine originating from this appellation has to be 100% Syrah to indicate Cornas on the label.

Traditional wines produced in Cornas usually require a long aging process, however the famous winemaker Jean-Luc Colombo has implemented a new, more fruit-forward style, that many are starting to implement.