Domaine Guillaume GILLES 2012 - 2013 - Cornas - 2 Bottle (0.75L)

Humility. A beautiful word that defines Guillaume Gilles, though regarded as a rising star of the Northern Rhône Valley. This young winemaker began alongside regional luminaries such as Jean-Louis Chave and Robert Michel. In 2002, his personal wine venture began with the purchase of half a hectare in the Cornas appellation that he inherited from his grandfather. Truly passionate about this terroir, he spends a lot of time in his vineyards and in his cellar to craft wines valued for their depth, power, and finesse. His hallmark? Micro-parcels vinification. Indeed, even within the Chaillots terroir, he vinifies 3 cuvées separately: the Combe, the Terraces, and the Grand Murs. The cultivation is sustainable, vine work is done manually, and the soil is plowed. An estate to be discovered quickly, especially since the bottles produced are quite limited in number.

About the cuvée
Located at the foot of the Chaillot parcel, the Combe de Chaillot covers 0.8 ha and has been vinified separately since 2009 due to different ripening of the Syrah berries. These grapes mature on siliceous, sandy, and granitic soils. After manual harvest, the grapes are almost entirely destemmed. Vinification takes place in open tanks with indigenous yeasts, without punching down. The wine is then aged for 16 months in barrels, without fining or filtration before bottling. On tasting, this Cornas shows greater mineral tension. This is, among other things, due to the terroir from which it comes, which benefits from a cooler climate than the other plots on the estate. The nose remains rich and dense, a true bouquet of dark fruits, with floral and spicy notes. On the palate, the tannins are fine and coated by the dominance of dark fruit. The finish is long and ends beautifully with subtle peppery touches.