Domaine Durand, Syrah, Cornas "Empreintes", Côtes du Rhone, France 2020

Domaine Durand is a team of two brothers, Eric and Joël, who took over their family estate in 1991 and immediately began bottling their own wine. "Prémices" translates to “beginnings” and rightfully so in this case. The estate is comprised of 13 hectares of Syrah vines, eight in Saint-Joseph and five in Cornas. Eric and Joel are firm believers that in order to make great wine, you must have great grapes, and to have great grapes, you must have impeccable vineyards. The brothers work incredibly hard in their different parcels, not only managing the plants, but also fortifying the terraces on which their vines are planted. On these predominantly granitic slopes, and in the hands of these two talented brothers, the noble Syrah grape finds fantastic expression... concentration and power with finesse and delicacy.

Cornas, meaning “burnt earth” is a hillside French village in the middle of a natural amphitheater planted with Syrah vines. Shielded from the Mistral, the sun finds itself trapped in this arena-like setting, making the Cornas appellation usually the first to be harvested due to the constant sun exposure and quick ripening of the grapes.

The Durand Cornas Prémices pours an intense deep purple, immediately displaying its lovely dark fruit aromas which are enveloped in a captivating minerality. The nose is also accented with hints of lavender, olive tapenade and fresh herbs. One cannot understate the incredible mouthfeel of this wine... It is silky, yet undeniable structured. Ripe, dark red fruit flavors are intertwined with savory notes of violets and garrigue. Firm on the attack, the Prémices grows refined as it reaches the mid-palate, exhibiting the Durand brothers' wonderful ability to coax both power and elegance in their Cornas. This wine will be delicious tonight with aeration or a bit of time in the decanter or it will age gracefully for the next 10+ years in a proper cellar. Perfect for roast leg of lamb, grilled beef or, according to Joël, "spiced red meat to capture its power and unctuousness."