Domaine Durand Cornas Emprientes 2020

2020 Cornas Emprientes 96JD
Domaine Durand

96 pts Jeb Dunnuck
“More density and depth, as well as precision, emerge from the 2020 Cornas Empreintes, a smaller production cuvée from 30-year-old vines. Its deep purple hue is followed by a beautiful perfume of black and blue fruits, bloody meat, pepper, and spring flowers. I love its focus and length on the palate, and it's medium to full-bodied, with plenty of tannins, a great mid-palate, and a salty, bloody finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. It's a “wow” Cornas for sure.”

**** JLL - John Livingstone-Learmonth
(casks) very dark robe; the nose has a note of iodine to raise interest, a soaked cherries aroma, the fruit pure, a little give in it. It’s just developing its nature, sorting itself out. The palate runs with attractive black fruits that are tasty and prolonged. The tannins carry powdered freshness, and this will become a stylish, elegant Cornas - it has a sure, relaxed depth. The finish is well rounded, a little plump. From 2024, decant it. 2043-45 July 2021

Vineyards:
70% granite wine – Chaillot, Les Côtes, Tézier, Mazards, Champelrose - 30% clay-limestone from the lower south facing part of Chaillot, oldest Syrah 1973, destemmed, 18-25 day vinification, plots fermented apart and assembled at bottling, pumping overs, part vat emptying/refilling, cap punching, aged 15-25% new, 75-85% 1-2 year 228-litre oak casks 12 months, unfiltered, first wine 2004 - called Cornas before then