Domaine Courbis >
Rhone >
France|
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The origins of the Courbis family estate date back to the 16th century. More recently, the brothers Dominique and Laurent Courbis have succeeded their father, Maurice, who was the mayor of Chateaubourg, their hometown. The estate owns 20 hectares divided as follows: 3 ha in Cornas, 4 ha of St Joseph Blanc, and 13 hectares of St Joseph Rouge. The holdings include the steep terraced cru “Les Royes,” on south-east facing limestone soils at the southern limit of the St. Joseph appellation and two very small, steep terraced parcels in Cornas -- La Sabarotte and Champelrose -- with extremely old vines on granite soils.
All the grapes are harvested by hand and yields are kept to an average of 30 hl/ha. The fruit is 100% destemmed and the maceration period for the Syrahs lasts between two and three weeks. The wines mature in oak casks which are new or up to three years old. The red wines are fined with egg yokes but not filtered and are bottled between two and three years of the harvest.
The wines of the Courbis estate are some of the most compelling examples of St. Joseph and Cornas being made today. The Courbis brothers have combined their long family experience with a modern style and this has earned them international recognition. Robert Parker sums it up in his book on Rhone wines: “Courbis is a name to watch in the Northern Rhone.” Courbis wines regularly receive rave reviews in Wine Spectator, International Wine Cellar, The Wine Advocate and Revue du Vin de France.
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| St-Joseph Blanc |
The St. Joseph Blanc is a blend of 95% Marsanne and 5% Roussane and is fermented at low temperatures, one third in new barriques (with weekly battonage) and two thirds in tanks. The white wine is kept on its fine lees until the spring to develop additional complexity.
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| St-Joseph Rouge |
100% Syrah.
The St-Joseph Rouge comes from various vineyard parcels across the Courbis domaine. The soils are a combination of limestone and granite. The various parcels are blended to create a wine that is ready for near term drinking upon release.
This St-Joseph is aged in a combination of tanks and barrels: 35% tank and 65% barrels, of which 15% are new. After 10 months, the barrel aged wine is assembled back in tank for a few more months before bottling.
This wine exhibits gorgeously sweet, smocky black raspberry fruit interwoven with hints of graphite and earth.
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| St-Joseph Rouge - Les Royes |
100% Syrah.
Among the single-vineyard wines, the steeply terraced St-Joseph Les Royes site is a spectacular “cirque” or steep amphitheater. It is located at the southern limit of the St. Joseph appellation, on the border of Cornas. Exposition is south-east which retains the heat of the day, while completely protecting the vines from northerly winds. The soil is a mixture of clay, granite, and limestone (the latter being the source of the small amount of Les Royes Blanc.) Yields are a miniscule 25 hl/ha.
The Les Royes Rouge is aged 100% in barrels, of which about 20% are new and the balance being between 1 and 3 years of age. After 12-14 months in cask, the wine is assembled and aged for 3 additional months in tank before bottling.
The St-Joseph Les Royes is a profound and complex wine with sweet black cherry-raspberry fruit, notes of minerals and smoke, and ripe tannins that give it remarkable structure.
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| Cornas - Champelrose |
100% Syrah.
The Cornas Champelrose comes from various vineyard parcels across the Courbis domaine. The soils are a combination of limestone and granite. The various parcels are blended to attain a wine that is ready for near term drinking upon release.
It is aged entirely in casks that are usually 10% new, 50% one year, and 20% each 2-3 years of age. The barrel-aging period is 12 months, after which the wine is assembled in tank and aged for a few more months before bottling. It has generous fruit and shows the full character of its appellation in the attractive Courbis house style.
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| Cornas - Les Eygats |
100% Syrah.
The 1 hecatare, terraced Cornas Les Eygats site is situated at a relatively high 250 meters of altitude. It has pure granite soil and has an ideal south-east exposure.
Les Eygats is aged entirely in barriques for 16 months, of which 50% are new and 50% and one year old. It is a highly concentrated wine, packed with smoky black fruit that can age for many years but is always inviting when young.
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| Cornas-La Sabarotte |
100% Syrah.
The Cornas La Sabarotte parcel – widely considered to be among the very best sites of the appellation - has extremely old vines (most planted in 1947 but some are even older) on a granite-limestone soil.
La Sabarotte is aged in 100% new oak for 16 months and undergoes its malolactic fermentation in cask.
It is Courbis’ most dramatic wine, showing saturated black-purple in color with layers of chewy, ripe, sweet fruit with black olive and berry, tar and mineral notes. It has remarkable intensity and richness.
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| Syrah - Vin de Pays de l'Ardeche |
This wine is aged in tanks and has an intense, dark color with powerful dark berry and cassis fruit. It is a remarkable value.
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