Domaine de Saint-Pierre Cornas AOP Paul Jaboulet Aîné

Cornas is the most powerful appellation of the northern Rhône — pure Syrah on granite, no blends, no compromises. Jaboulet's Domaine de Saint-Pierre shows why that is.

Paul Jaboulet Aîné has been one of the defining houses of the northern Rhône since 1834. The winery manages its own vineyards in Cornas, where the Syrah develops a depth on weathered granite that is denied to flatter soils. Since the takeover by the Frey family in 2006, there has been consistent investment in the vineyard and cellar.

In the glass, a deep purple with violet reflections. The nose shows Morello cherry, ripe blackberry, and fresh herbs — thyme, a hint of lavender — accompanied by fine cedarwood. Dense and structured on the palate: firm, ripe tannins that have already developed silkiness, carried by a cool acidity. The finish is long, spicy, with a mineral granite echo.

• Food: Leg of lamb with rosemary, wild boar loin, mature Ossau-Iraty
• Temperature: 16–18 °C, feel free to decant an hour beforehand