2023 Dumazet 'Cuvee Charlemagne' Cornas

Aromas of violets, black olives, and smoked meat integrate with concentrated flavors of blackberry and plum. The palate is powerful and structured, featuring dense tannins and a savory, earthy finish of forest floor and crushed stones.

Pierre Dumazet practices manual farming without the use of chemical pesticides or insecticides, working the steep terraces entirely by hand. The winemaking process involves a partial destemming of the Syrah grapes followed by a month-long maceration. The wine matures for twelve to fifteen months in used French oak barrels to preserve the intense mineral character of the fruit.

The vines are situated on the steep, southern-exposed slopes of Cornas in the Northern Rhône. The terroir is defined by "gore" soils—a mix of decomposed granite, mica, and gneiss—which absorb the sun's heat and provide the wine with its signature power and longevity.