Cornas Chaillot 2023 Franck Balthazar | Rhône

Franck Balthazar 's Cornas Chaillot draws its strength from the estate's historic terroir, home to the purest Syrahs in the Northern Rhône Valley. The location is emblematic of Cornas : steep slopes, decomposed granite soils and direct sunlight forge intense, straightforward wines, whose optimal ripeness takes nothing away from the mineral tension that marks the great red wines of the Northern Rhône. Domaine Franck Balthazar cultivates and harvests these old vines by hand using organic methods, ploughing the soil with a horse and deliberately keeping yields low. The grapes are fermented in whole bunches using indigenous yeasts, before long ageing in old foudres and demi-muids. Bottling is done without fining or filtration, with minimal sulfiting, in keeping with an artisanal philosophy founded on precision and transparency of fruit.

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin : Franck Balthazar 's Cornas Chaillot offers an uncompromising interpretation of its granite terroir. On this absolutely superb parcel cuvée, the Syrah keeps a straight expression, carried by a freshness that the heat of the 2023 vintage has not altered. We find the characteristic depth of the Chaillot hillside, supported by a more slender texture than in other Franck Balthazar wine estate cuvées.

The nose reveals a refined combination of violet, blackberry and blueberry, complemented by nuances of black truffle and pepper. As it airs out, the wine reveals lardy notes and mineral accents underlining the depth of the bouquet. The whole remains remarkably clean.

The palate seduces with its restrained energy. The body is concentrated and juicy, supported by fine tannins that provide a beautiful relief. Long ageing in oak barrels has polished the texture without robbing it of its tension, delivering ageing potential of at least ten years. Fleshy black fruits are crossed by a smoky minerality that punctuates the tasting and lengthens the wine to a deliciously saline finish.