Alain Voge : Chapelle Saint-Pierre 2023

Tasting characteristics and advice for Chapelle Saint-Pierre 2023 by Alain Voge

Tasting

Color

The color reveals a deep, intense purple-red hue with violet highlights, reflecting fine phenolic ripeness.

Nose

The nose opens with aromas of blackberry and blueberry, accompanied by floral notes of violet. Hints of peppery spice mingle with garrigue nuances evocative of rosemary and lavender. With aeration, mineral notes reminiscent of pencil lead and subtle touches of leather gradually emerge.

Palate

The palate is medium- to full-bodied, offering a beautifully structured frame. The fruit remains pure and concentrated, expressing flavors of blackcurrant and blueberry. The tannins, while clearly present, are already refined and well integrated. The acidity brings remarkable lift with no greenness. The finish lingers at length with spicy, mineral, and slightly herbal notes.

Food and wine pairings

This Cornas 2023 is a perfect match for a grilled ribeye with herbs, a herb-roasted rack of lamb with Herbes de Provence, or roasted poultry such as duck. It also pairs very well with Ardèche charcuterie and game dishes in a rich stew.

Serving and cellaring

It is recommended to serve this Cornas 2023 at a temperature between 16 and 18°C. Opening it about one hour before serving will allow the wine to fully express itself. This wine can be enjoyed now but will continue to evolve until around 2033, and potentially beyond.

An elegant, mineral Cornas from the Northern Rhône Valley

The estate

Founded in 1958, Domaine Alain Voge now spans thirteen hectares in the Northern Rhône Valley. Located on the right bank of the Rhône, the estate has around eight hectares in Cornas, four hectares in Saint-Péray, and one hectare in Saint-Joseph. A pioneer in the revival of the Cornas appellation, Alain Voge transformed the region by replanting abandoned hillsides and marketing his wines in bottle. Since 2018, Lionel Fraisse has led the estate, continuing its commitment to biodynamic farming, certified since 2013.

The vineyard

The Syrah vines dedicated to producing this Cornas are around forty years old and are planted on the foothills and lower slopes of the appellation. The soils are composed of decomposed granite, enriched with siliceous concretions. These granitic terroirs provide exceptional drainage and give the wine its hallmark mineral tension. The plots, at varied altitudes reaching 380 to 400 meters, benefit from south and southeast exposures on slopes sometimes exceeding 60%. The estate practices biodynamic viticulture with hand harvesting and rigorous grape sorting.

The vintage

The 2023 vintage in the Rhône Valley (North) was marked by a dry start to the year, with only eighty millimeters of rainfall during the first three months. May and June brought regular but moderate rainfall, replenishing water reserves without creating excessive fungal pressure. An intense heatwave set in at the beginning of August, with a record heat peak during the week of August 21. Welcome rainfall of around one hundred millimeters fell in late August/early September, allowing harvest to pause and then resume at the optimal moment. These conditions produced remarkably fresh wines with moderate alcohol levels, while preserving complete phenolic ripeness and excellent color development.

Vinification and aging

The grapes were partially destemmed, retaining around 20 to 30% stems. Fermentation took place with indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks. Maceration lasted four weeks with twice-daily pump-overs and punch-downs. The wine was then aged for eighteen months in 228-liter French oak barrels, exclusively previously used, in order to preserve the terroir’s mineral expression.

Grape variety

100% Syrah