Domaine Courbis

Brothers Laurent and Dominique are the talent behind the modern, polished wines of Domaine Courbis, which sits just north of Cornas in the Northern Rhône. Laurent is the winemaker, while Dominique tends to their 35 hectares of vines spread across five Rhône appellations including Saint-Joseph, Cornas, Saint-Peray and Crozes Hermitage. Winemaking has been a part of the Courbis family since 1587, but it wasn’t until 1980 that they began bottling the wines under their own name. It quickly became one of the top concerns in the Northern Rhône and their wines are a perfect example of modern vinification methods blending seamlessly with classic viticulture and top terroir. Their complex Saint-Joseph, La Cotte Sud comes from their south-facing slopes in the south of the appellation. However it is their three Cornas cuvées which epitomise the domaine. These impressive reds are made exclusively from hand-harvested Syrah grown on the granite slopes in the heart of the appellation. Champelrose is a blend of vineyards which offers wonderful value for money, while the two single vineyard cuvées Les Eygats and La Sabarotte are intense, floral and made in limited quantities.