2017 Cornas Terres d'Arce

This large (over 50 hectares distributed across Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage, Saint-Joseph and Cornas) domaine, established in 1961, is justly well-regarded for its high-value entry-level wines. Their top-level bottlings, made from old vines and labelled as Terres d’Arce, are less well-known. In many vintages, including 2017, these can rival the wines of many better-known domaines and, relatively speaking, they deliver excellent value to boot. The wines are usually made with a high percentage of whole clusters, up to 100%, given the vintage, and see anywhere from 20% to 50% new oak. The 2017s here show the opulence of the year, but don’t come off heavy or warm. Sebastien Michelas told me that he’s confident that they will age positively “but not forever, like the 2015s”. There’s plenty of experimentation going on here, as the presence of concrete eggs and amphoras attest, making this an estate to follow.