Domaine du Coulet (Bio-Dynamic): Cornas

Cornas Appellation covers 250 acres of steep terraced slopes that rise to 350 metres elevation. Cornas only allows 100% Syrah, unlike Cote Rotie and Hermitage which allow a percentage of white grapes in their wines. Soils of degraded granite (Gore), small gravel and schist on east facing slopes allow excellent ripening conditions in free draining soils.

Matthieu Barret started the domaine in 1998 after receiving the parcels of land from his grandfather who had previously sold to Negociants.  Like many biodynamic practitioners Barret maintains yields at very low levels (35hl/ha for the Terrasses du Serre and a miniscule 15hl/ha for the Billes Noires) which not only alleviates disease pressure but has the added benefit of increasing intensity in the wines. Long slow ferments using only indigenous yeasts and no filtration or fining result in wines that are a true expression of their terroir.

“Barret represents the future in Cornas. His domaine is, in my opinion, the single most exciting new domaine in the appellation today. With his nearly 14 hectares of vines (11 in Cornas), Barret is producing a quartet of wines that represent a new paradigm for Cornas—vivid, exceptionally bright, racy fruit flavors that at the same time harness the taut, sometimes severe minerality of the Syrah grown on the east- and southeast-facing granite slopes above the town.”  Wine Spectator  March ‘09

2010 Cotes du Rhone rouge ‘Petit Ours Gris’ 

Grapes of syrah (70 %) and of grenache (30 %) from bio-dynamically farmed vineyards. De-stemmed and fermented with indigenous yeasts, fermentation by reassemblies in concrete tank, racking and breeding of 9 months without sulfur, bottling with 2 g / hl of sulfur without filtration or sticking.

2010 Cotes du Rhone rose ‘Petit Ours Rose’

100% Syrah aged on lees—lovely texture and mouthfeel with good freshness and perfume. Very limited

2010 Cotes du Rhone rouge ‘Petit Ours Brun’  – due November

100% Syrah from bio-dynamically farmed vines. Very deeply coloured. Dense and rich on the palate with remarkable freshness and lift.

2009 Cotes du Rhone rouge ‘No Wines Land’ -

100% Syrah from 40 year old vines own by the estate in a vineyard that adjoins the northern edge of Cornas. Cropped at 18 hl/ha and matured for 13 months in older oak this shows just how good 2009 is  here.

 2008 Cornas ‘Brise Cailloux’

In 2008 only one cuvee was made with all old-vines material going into this beautifully fresh and balanced and perfumed wine.

2009 Cornas ‘Les Terasses du Serre’ made from the following vineyards 25% Reynard, 25% Patronne (both warm sites) and 50% Les Arlettes (cooler site)

100% Syrah from 45 years old vines. Totally de-stemmed and fermented on natural yeasts and aged in 6-10 year old barrels of 225 and 400 litres. Bottled by gravity with no fining or filtration and minimal SO2. Wonderful blackcurrants and spice supported by soft tannins, built around a fresh mineral structure.

 2009 Cornas ‘Billes Noires’  “ …packed, with dense, brooding fruit backed by blazing minerality” Wine Spectator James Molesworth

“The “Billes Noires” however is more a La Mouline, a 230 case micro-cuvee that is by definition limited. Yields are miniscule at 15 hl/ha.