Cornas Terre Brûlée, Domaine Lionnet - 2013

Until the middle of the year 2000, there were two Lionnet estates in the commune of Cornas: the Rochepertuis estate, belonging to Jean Lionnet, which no longer exists; and the one called "Terre Brûlée" (Celtic for "burnt earth"), which is discussed here. The Lionnet family has owned vines since 1575. Generations of winegrowers and winemakers have followed one another, up to Pierre Lionnet. Unfortunately, however, he suffered from health problems in the early 2000s and was forced to hand over the reins of the business to his daughter Corinne and son-in-law Ludovic Izerable. The couple took over with the 2001 vintage, following his advice, and the official and complete takeover will be with the 2003 vintage. Over the years and under Pierre's leadership, the estate has decreased in volume, abandoning the most expensive parcels to work or those not retained during the division of the Cornas AOC. Thus, if the grandfather owned five hectares, at the time of Ludovic and Corinne's arrival, the property had only two. After the death of Pierre Lionnet, they banned the use of synthetic products. At the beginning, they planted grass in their vineyards, but the yields fell seriously, even excessively for certain plots. Thus, little by little, they moved towards a less "submissive" organic culture, integrating soil work that allows the vine to be more balanced in its vegetative cycle. With...