Wine Advisor
Alain Voge, Cornas Les Chailles 2011
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Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 2011 Cornas Les Chailles is an expressive, dense purple-colored, medium to full-bodied wine with elegant blackberry, forest floor and spring flower notes. This stylish, up-front Cornas can be drunk over the next decade. (Not yet released) One of the superstars of Cornas is Domaine Alain Voge. In the top vintages, three cuvees are made, but in most years only two are produced, Vieilles Vignes and Les Chailles, from Voge’s 15 plus acres of Syrah planted on the decomposed granite slopes of Cornas. He also produces small quantities of St.-Joseph and as many as four cuvees of white wine from St.-Peray, including a sparkling white. The family has 10 acres of vines in this appellation, planted with 95% Marsanne and 5% Roussanne. Voge is also a leader in producing serious white wines from the up-and-coming micro-appellation of St.-Peray. I did not taste the sparkling white Voge and his brilliant assistant, Albert Mazoyer produce, but readers seeking a top white wine need look no further than Voge’s Fleur de Crussol. The real glories at Voge are his extraordinary offerings from Cornas. The three 2010 Cornas represent the pinnacle of Voge’s winemaking. They are the finest wines I have yet tasted from this estate (and I’ve been tasting their wines since the late seventies). Importer: Citadel Trading Corp., New York, NY; tel. (212) 245-2844
Reviewed by: Jeb Dunnuck
There were only two cuvees produced, with no Les Vieilles Fontaines. The 2011 Cornas Les Chailles is totally thrilling and offers palate saturating liquid violets, sweet blackberry, cassis, mint and underbrush qualities to go with a medium to full-bodied, pure and seamless personality. Aged 18 months in neutral oak, this beauty is still youthfully primary, so give it another 2-3 years and enjoy it over the following decade. One of the leading estates in Cornas, Alain Voge, with more and more assistance from Alberic Mazoyer (formerly at Chapoutier), produces some of the most impressive, concentrated and rich wines of the appellation. Owning 17 acres in Cornas, spread across 12 different plots, and 15 acres in Saint Peray, this estate produces two whites from Saint Peray and up to three Cornas in any given vintage. In Cornas, the first cuvee is the Les Chailles, which comes from vines planted in the mid-1980s. Aged 18 months in neutral oak, it is the most forward and approachable of the releases. The old vine Vieilles Vignes cuvee sees more time in oak (some of which can be new) and comes from vines averaging 30 to90 years in age. Lastly, the tiny production and top wine, the Les Vieilles Fontaines, is a vineyard selection (normally from the Les Cotes and Chaillot lieux-dits) that sees up to 24 months in 15% new oak. Both the Vieilles Vignes and Les Vieilles Fontaines are serious, concentrated wines that will benefit from short-term cellaring. As a whole, vinification here is semi-modern, with plenty of destemming, and while the wines shows gorgeous polish and purity, they never lose their Cornas soul. These wines need to be on every reader’s short list. Importer: Citadel Trading Corp., New York, NY; tel. (212) 245-2844
About the Producer
Domaine Alain Voge is a family-run winery based in Cornas and has over time built itself the reputation as a superstar of the appellation and its benchmark without doubt. It was founded many generations ago but was blessed with the talented beginnings in winemaking by Alain himself in 1958. Alain tore up the rule book, updated the winemaking techniques of his father, expanded the vineyards and began bottling his wines himself. With over 70 parcels of vines totaling seven hectares, it is no wonder that Alain Voge sometimes seems distracted. Half in jest, he says that the reason he harvests so late is to figure out which vines are his. He spent some time under Albéric Mazoyer, manager and associate of Alain Voge from 2004-2018, before progressing further and making a start in organic production. Thus, since 2013,the whole vineyard is run using biodynamic agriculture, where an artisan and entirely manual viticulture is practiced on the slopes of the Rhône’s rive droite. Since 2018,Lionel Fraissehas been at the helm. He continues to champion the sustainable winemaking of his predecessors.
