Winery: Alain Voge
Region: Rhône - Nord (Northern Rhône)
Locale: Cornas, France
Appellation: Cornas Controlée
Designation: AOC

In a few words: A monumental northern Rhone with classic Cornas character.

Site: In the locality named “La Fontaine” is a spring that used to supply water to the home of a noble family in Cornas. The wine named Les Vieilles Fontaines was first made by Alain Voge in 1988 on this superb granite terroir, enhanced by our oldest Syrah vines. Produced only in exceptional vintages, Les Vieilles Fontaines showcases the strong character of Cornas.

Grapes: 100% Marsanne, harvested manually 

Fermentation and Aging: Partial destemming with 30 % whole grapes. Fermentation with natural yeasts and maceration for several weeks in stainless steel vats, with daily cap-punching and pumping over. Maturation in 228-litre barrels for 24 months, with 15% to 20% new barrels.

Notes: Boasting an extraordinary inky black/purple hue, this monumental northern Rhone offers a wide array of flavor nuance -  layers of black and blue fruits, leather, ground pepper, violets, graphite, earth, and cocoa. A powerful, concentrated, incredibly textured, full-bodied wine with ultra refined tannins, medium plus acid and a long savory finish, with everything perfectly integrated into its personality. Give it several years of bottle age and drink it over the following 25-30+ years with lamb or game.