Alain Voge : Les Vieilles Vignes 2023

Tasting Notes and Serving Suggestions for Alain Voge Les Vieilles Vignes 2023

Tasting

Appearance

The color shows a deep, bright purple hue.

Nose

The nose reveals fine aromatic complexity with notes of sour cherry and dark fruits such as blackcurrant and blueberry. Floral hints of violet accompany spicy nuances of black pepper, rounded out by mineral and earthy aromas.

Palate

On the palate, the wine displays a muscular, tannic structure, tempered by a silky texture that coats the palate. The tannins are noble and refined, hallmarks of a top-quality Syrah. The mid-palate shows concentration and depth, while the finish lingers with persistence, carried by the wine’s structural elements. The spicy notes found on the nose extend through to the finish, bringing freshness and vitality.

Food and Wine Pairings

This wine pairs perfectly with flavorful red meats and game dishes. It is an ideal match for a grilled rib steak or a wild boar stew. Aged mountain cheeses are also an excellent choice to enhance this Cornas.

Serving and Cellaring

Les Vieilles Vignes 2023 is best enjoyed at a temperature between 16 and 18°C. For young bottles, opening one to two hours before serving, or decanting, allows the aromas to fully develop. This wine has a cellaring potential of around twenty years.

An authentic Cornas from old vines on granite terroir

The estate

The Alain Voge estate is an emblematic figure of the Cornas appellation in the Northern Vallée du Rhône. Founded in 1958 when Alain Voge decided to devote himself exclusively to winegrowing, the estate now spans around 13 hectares across Cornas, Saint-Péray, Saint-Joseph and Côtes du Rhône. Since October 2018, Lionel Fraisse has led the property, carrying on the estate’s commitment to organic and biodynamic farming, certified since 2013. The philosophy remains true to Alain Voge’s vision: letting the terroir express itself without artifice.

The vineyard

Les Vieilles Vignes comes from plots located at the heart of the Cornas appellation, on renowned named sites. The vines, averaging sixty years of age, are planted on steep hillsides at around 200 meters above sea level, with a south-southeast exposure. The soils are made up of decomposed granite, giving the wines minerality, structure and depth. The steep slope requires entirely manual viticulture. The vines are trained as bush vines and trellised on individual stakes, following traditional methods.

The vintage

The 2023 vintage proved particularly demanding. After the challenges of the previous years, the vineyard had to contend with intense storm rains and hail episodes affecting certain areas. The old-vine plots nevertheless showed strong resilience. By late July, they displayed encouraging potential with healthy conditions. Harvest took place between late August and late September, with tricky conditions at the end of the picking, requiring especially rigorous grape selection.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes for Les Vieilles Vignes 2023 are harvested by hand with meticulous selection. Most berries are destemmed, with 10 to 20% whole clusters kept depending on the vintage’s characteristics. Fermentation takes place in small 30- to 50-hectoliter stainless-steel tanks, with temperature control and twice-daily punch-downs. Native yeasts naturally ensure the fermentations. Aging is carried out in 228-liter barrels for eighteen to twenty months, with a very limited proportion of new oak in order to preserve the expression of the fruit and the terroir.

Grape variety

100% Syrah