Domaine Courbis Saint-Joseph Les Royes 2023
£33.25
The wine
Opaque and opulent, with all the characteristics of Syrah from the Northern Rhône, with intense cassis and rich chocolate undertones. Smooth, silky and concentrated with fine tannins and harmonious balance through to a deliciously long finish. Les Royes is the domaine's single-vineyard Saint-Joseph, from old Syrah on decomposed granite. A clear step up in concentration from the estate bottling.
The producer
Domaine Courbis
View all Domaine Courbis winesDomaine Courbis dates from the sixteenth century and has passed from father to son since the start of the twentieth. It is run today by two brothers: Laurent makes the wine, Dominique manages the 41 hectares of vineyard.
The holdings are enviable: eight hectares in Cornas, five in Saint-Joseph Blanc and nineteen in Saint-Joseph Rouge, in the communes of Châteaubourg and Cornas. The vines are planted on steep granite hillsides, which is where northern Rhône Syrah finds its best expression.
The wines combine modern vinification with traditional viticulture, and are polished without losing the savoury, mineral grip that granite gives. Les Eygats and La Sabarotte are the two Cornas cuvees, and both reward keeping.






