2022 Cornas Brise Cailloux, Domaine du Coulet

• Style: Granite-rooted, mineral-driven Syrah
• Taste: Blackcurrant, eucalyptus, spicy length with a structured grip
• Food: BBQ & grilled dishes, stews & braises, beef & steak, game & venison
• Occasion: Date night, gifting, cellar worthy
• Serve: 16–18°C, decant 30 mins before service

In the Glass — Tasting Notes

Deep purple with eucalyptus and blackcurrant on the nose, followed by fresh herbs and stone-dust minerality. The palate is mouth-watering and austere — structured tannins frame dark fruit, while savoury spice carries through a long, clean finish. Bone-dry and full-bodied, 12.5% alcohol, built for food rather than idle sipping.

The Winery — Domaine du Coulet

Matthieu Barret, a seventh-generation grower, inherited vines from his grandfather and established his own domaine in Cornas, farming organically from the outset and moving to biodynamic practice in 2002. Since 2012 he has worked the vineyard with mules and horses — a commitment to minimal intervention that translates directly into purity and precision. The 2022 vintage comes from mid and lower-slope parcels planted 40–55 years ago. Fruit was hand-harvested and destemmed but left whole, then fermented with wild yeasts in concrete egg-shaped vats. Fourteen months in concrete tanks with a small portion in amphora kept focus tight and mineral-forward, allowing terroir expression to shine.

At Your Table — Food Pairing & Serving

This is northern Rhône Syrah at its most serious. Roasted lamb shoulder or braised beef short ribs are the obvious match — tannin grip and herbal backbone marry perfectly with slow-cooked meat and herb-heavy dishes. Duck and mushroom risotto works equally well. If you've explored other examples of Syrah & Shiraz from cooler climates, you'll recognise the signature here: fresh plum and blackberry rather than jammy fruit, spice over sweetness, acidity that cuts rather than coats. At a James Suckling score of 93, this represents genuine value for a wine of such calibre and intent. Worth laying down a year or two, or opening now with complete confidence. A serious bottle from a serious grower.