“Sensational… old-school yet pure, impeccably made Cornas, these wines are well worth seeking out.” – Jeb Dunnuck

Vinos! Rhône Afficionados! Fellow knerds! It’s a Cornas!!! 97 points from Jeb, and a price that brings a tear to our Syrah-starved hearts.

HOT appellation, hotter than it’s ever been, with the ultra-traditionalist guard fetching insane prices these days. And I’m not even talking about the $500-1,000+ a bottle league. I mean true unicorn territory such as Versat, Allemand, or Juge. The benchmark or hip stuff like Clape, Jaboulet, or Voge, Colombo, Michel are all in the $100-200+ range and are we won’t see those prices dip ever again.

So, to FIND something with a similar vibe that can be had under $50 feels surreal. Like the first ride in a driverless car, it’s almost incomprehensible. YET. HERE. IT. IS.

Well, we have Jeb Dunnuck to thank for consistently massive scores Dumien-Serrette has been getting, but we’re not sure how much longer they will remain under the radar for, or if we’ll ever see a deal this good again from this “brilliant, traditional, family-run” Domaine. Carpe the diem!

While he advises not to touch these for a year or so, we had to sample them…just to make sure. Somebody has to do these things! And tell you what, pop the cork, take a whiff and a sip, put the cork back on and leave it alone for a day, it BLOOMS like violets on a hot June afternoon. There’s just enough of those in there, with nuances of scorched earth and baking spices peeking through the explosively varietal nose as one would expect from this unique Cru’s terroir. The palate explodes with dusty, cocoa-coated cherries, charcuterie, kalamata olives, and savory hints such as bay leaf and sage. The finish lasts monumentally long, hinting at not just a knee-weakening good Cornas today, but a showstopper built for the ages too.

Still thinking? Tiny production means one thing: a sellout is imminent! Don’t let this opportunity pass you by.

97 Points – Jeb Dunnuck “This brilliant, traditional, family-run estate is located in the heart of Cornas. The estate’s primary holding is the Patou vineyard, encompassing approximately 1.5 hectares of steep, granitic slopes with vines dating back to the 1920s. Winemaking practices are as traditional as they come, with partial destemming, native fermentation in cement tanks, and aging in older French oak barrels for about two years. Bottling occurs without fining or filtration. Production is tiny, with around 1,000 cases produced annually. While not tasted for this report, the estate also produces a tiny-production cuvée called Cornas Henri, first made in 2013, which comes from very old vines in the Patou lieu-dit, is aged two years in old barrels, and is named after the winemaker’s grandfather. If you are looking for old-school yet pure, impeccably made Cornas, these wines are well worth seeking out. Now from bottle, the 2022 Cornas Patou is rocking stuff. Sporting a deep purple hue as well as powerful aromatics of ripe red plums, black cherries, roasted garrigue, violets, and pepper, it has full-bodied richness, a pure, layered mouthfeel, the firmer, focusing tannins of the vintage, and one hell of a great finish. This sensational Cornas is going to benefit from 4-6 years of bottle age and should have a solid two decades of overall longevity. Drink 2026-2046.”