📜 Cornas

Cornas is a protected designation of origin (AOC/PDO) for still red wines from the northern Rhône Valley in France. According to its specification, approved by the order of 4 July 2024, the name was first recognised by a decree of 5 August 1938.

The grapes are harvested and the wines made in the commune of Cornas, in the Ardèche department. The vines must lie in the parcel area approved by the national institute INAO on 12 May 1971. Winemaking is also allowed in a listed proximity area of neighbouring communes in the Ardèche, Drôme, Isère, Loire and Rhône departments.

The wines are made from Syrah only. The specification sets a minimum planting density of 4,400 vines per hectare, a maximum of 8 buds per vine and a maximum average load of 7,000 kg per hectare. Grapes must contain at least 171 g of sugar per litre of must, and the wines must have a natural alcoholic strength of at least 10.5%. The yield is set at 40 hectolitres per hectare, with a ceiling of 46. After enrichment the wines may not exceed 13.5% total alcohol. Grapes travel to the winery as whole bunches, and continuous presses and wood pieces are forbidden.

According to the specification, the vineyard lies on the right bank of the Rhône, between the Saint-Péray and Saint-Joseph appellations. It is open to the south and sheltered from the north by the Arlettes massif. Most soils come from weathered granite, and the steep slopes are worked on small terraces with dry-stone walls.