Lieu-Dit-Patou Cornas

Jeb Dunnuck, Mar/2024

2022 -

"Another smoking good effort from Damien is the 2022 Cornas Lieu-Dit Patou, which comes from a lieu-dit on the southern end of Cornas with a southern exposure and was destemmed and brought up in oak. Cassis, black raspberries, spring flowers, toasted spice, violets, and honeyed orange notes all shine in this beauty, and it's ripe, medium to full-bodied, and incredibly sexy on the palate, with fine tannins."

Antonio Galloni's Vinous, Oct/2023

2022 -

"The 2022 Cornas Lieu-Dit Patou bursts with vivid raspberry jam, wood smoke, cloves, black cherry compote, tobacco leaves and traces of leather. Full-bodied and concentrated, the 2022 is framed by boatloads of ripe and polished tannins. It presents excellent grip on the savory finish."

Jeb Dunnuck, Dec/2022

2021 -

"The inky hued 2021 Cornas Lieu Dit Patou, which comes from the southern portion of Cornas, offers a more blue-fruited, masculine bouquet that includes notions of iron, game, and violets. Medium to full-bodied, it has plenty of texture, ripe tannins, and a layered, balanced style that I suspect will drink nicely with just a year or three of bottle age."

Jeb Dunnuck, Mar/2024

2021 -

"Completely destemmed, the 2021 Cornas Lieu-Dit Patou comes from old vines grown in the granite soils of a south-facing lieu-dit located on the southern end of Cornas, just before Saint-Péray. Fresh fig, cassis, spring flowers, and some gamey, peppery nuances all define the bouquet, and it's medium-bodied on the palate, with a balanced, nicely concentrated, elegant profile. It's another up-front, juicy 2021 that will keep for a decade."

Antonio Galloni's Vinous, Oct/2023

2021 -

"The deep purple-hued 2021 Cornas Lieu-Dit Patou uses fully destemmed grapes from over 60-year-old vines. Unfurling with black tea, blackberry, spice-box, cloves and earthy gradations... Medium-bodied and round, it offers a clean finish."

Jeb Dunnuck, Nov/2022

2020 -

"Absolutely drop-dead gorgeous, the 2020 Cornas Lieu Dit Patou reveals a dense purple hue to go with wild aromatics of darker strawberries, blackberries, violets, rose, and iron. Medium to full-bodied and just about as seamless as they come, with fine tannins and incredible purity of fruit, this tour de force is clearly one of the finest Cornas I've tasted from this estate. Give bottles 2-3 years and enjoy over the following 15."

Jeb Dunnuck, Feb/2022

2020 -

"I think a solid step up at this point, the 2020 Cornas Lieu-Dit Patou comes from a single vineyard of granite soils and was destemmed and is still aging in 15% new barrels. Bouquet garni, bay leaf, iron, and both red and blue fruits emerge on the nose, and it’s medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and beautifully balanced. I love its tannins as well as its purity of fruit."

Decanter, Sep/2021

2020 -

"Rounded, mouth-filling fruit, the tannins are melting and not overly assertive. Bold in structure, textural and intense, with strong acidity which helps to rein in the fruit, tannin and alcohol. Peppery herbs add a little complexity. Destemmed, fermented in concrete, aged in barrels (10% new oak)."

Jeb Dunnuck, Aug/2022

2019 -

"Blackberries, smoked meats, iron, and pepper all emerge from the 2019 Cornas Lieu-Dit Patou, which comes from a great lieu-dit in Cornas. Medium to full-bodied and concentrated, with ripe tannins, this is burly Cornas will benefit from 2-4 years in the cellar and shine for a decade or more."

Antonio Galloni's Vinous, Dec/2022

2019 -

"Inky ruby. Pungent, smoke-accented black and blue fruits, pipe tobacco, licorice and cured meat on the deeply perfumed nose. In a ripe and substantial style but not at all lacking for energy, offering sweet cassis, cherry-cola and mulberry flavors and a spicy jolt of cracked pepper on the back half. Youthfully gripping tannins firm the persistent finish, which leaves an emerging floral note behind."

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Jan/2022

2019 -

"From low-yielding old vines, Ferraton's 2019 Cornas Lieu-Dit Patou is richer and more velvety than the Les Eygats bottling. Crushed stone accents cassis on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is plush and ripe, with a slightly jammy finish that seems to lack the complexity of the past couple of vintages."

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, May/2021

2018 -

"The inky but vibrant-hued 2018 Cornas Lieu-Dit Patou boasts surprisingly elegant aromas of licorice, peppery herbs and cassis, while on the full-bodied palate, it adds hints of broil-roasted beef and black olives. Concentrated and richly textured, it finishes with ripe tannins that leave behind a sensation of crushed stone and dusty back roads. It should be a bit softer in two or three years and drink well for at least a decade after that."

Jeb Dunnuck, Dec/2019

2018 -

"The 2018 Cornas Lieu-Dit Patou is more fruit-driven yet has a killer texture as well as opulence. Cassis, blueberries, chocolate, and graphite notes all dominate the bouquet, and it's full-bodied, deep and rich on the palate. It doesn't have the complexity of the Les Eygats, yet it has more oomph as well as decadence while staying pure and balanced, with ample tannic bite. It's another beautiful wine."

Antonio Galloni's Vinous, Apr/2020

2018 -

"Inky ruby. Powerful, mineral- and spice-accented cherry and black raspberry scents, along with exotic spice, violet and espresso nuances. Supple and lively in the mouth, offering sharply focused red and blue fruit liqueur, spicecake and floral pastille flavors that become sweeter as the wine takes on air. The floral note carries strongly through the lively, mineral-accented finish, which shows excellent clarity and dusty, slowly building tannins. 15% new oak."

Jeb Dunnuck, Dec/2018

2017 -

"There are two Cornas cuvees, both possessing incredible quality yet different styles. The 2017 Cornas Lieu Dit Patou comes from a warmer lieu-dit located in the southern part of Cornas and was completely destemmed and will spend 16 months in 15% new oak. Possessing a deep, rich, almost Bordeaux-like nose of blackberries, lead pencil shavings, chocolate, and graphite, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied richness, serious levels of concentration, and ripe tannins, yet it stays pure, balanced, and layered, and is a brilliant wine in the making."

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Oct/2018

2017 -

"The 2017 Cornas Lieu-Dit Patou looks to be a carbon copy of the 2016, with just a touch more precision in its notes of crushed stone, beef blood, cassis and raspberries. It's similarly full-bodied, rich and tannic, with a long, velvety finish that bodes well for the future."

Antonio Galloni's Vinous, Apr/2020

2017 -

"Dark purple. Powerful cassis, cherry, licorice and violet scents are complicated by suggestions of olive and exotic spices. Densely packed and alluringly sweet, offering concentrated black and blue fruit and floral pastille flavors and a late touch of smoky bacon. Turns livelier with air and finishes impressively long and energetic, with slow-building tannins and repeating florality. 15% new oak."

Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, Oct/2018

2016 -

"I appear to have underestimated the 2016 Cornas Lieu-Dit Patou when I tasted it last year. It looks terrific now from bottle, with peppery smoked meat aromas and plenty of dark fruit. Full-bodied, rich and velvety, it's a beauty to drink over the next decade or so."

Wine Spectator, Nov/2018

2016 -

"This has a large core of warm plum and blackberry compote flavors, harnessed for now by licorice root, cocoa and warm cast-iron notes. Very solid, displaying a grippy feel through the finish, with hints of tar and dark olive lingering. A strapping wine. Best from 2020 through 2035. 110 cases made."

Jeb Dunnuck, Dec/2018

2016 -

"The 2016 Cornas Lieu Dit Patou is a rich, ripe Cornas that's bursting at the seams with notions of black fruits, scorched earth and tapenade. Peppery herbs work their way in there with air, and it's full-bodied, voluptuous and rounded, with excellent purity. This parcel is located in the southern part of the appellation and comes from very old vines."

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate, Dec/2016

2015 -

"Last of the Cornas releases, the 2015 Cornas Lieu Dit Patou sports an inky purple color to go with notions of liquid violets, blackberries, blueberries, toasted bread and freshly crushed rocks. Full-bodied, beautifully concentrated, pure and impeccably balanced, it's a tour de force from this appellation."

Wine Spectator, Nov/2017

2015 -

 “Vivid, with deliciously ripe boysenberry, raspberry and plum coulis flavors racing along, carried by a very fine chalky thread, showing light savory and rosemary accents. Ends with freshness and cut. Best from 2020 through 2030. 110 cases made.”

Antonio Galloni's Vinous, Feb/2018

2015 -

"Opaque ruby. Smoke- and spice-accented scents of cherry liqueur, blueberry and violet are complicated by hints of olive paste and pipe tobacco. Juicy and broad on the palate, offering intense, deeply concentrated black and blue fruit and licorice flavors and a spicy touch of cracked pepper. Comes off elegant and precise for the vintage, finishing with solid thrust, excellent persistence and smooth, harmonious tannins."

Wine Spectator, Oct/2016

2015 -

"The 2015 Cornas Lieu-dit Patou is a textbook Cornas, from a warm sector in the southern end of the appellation, with delightfully energetic plum and blackberry fruit matched in intensity by bay, savory and olive notes, as well as a lovely lavender echo that hangs on the finish."

Wine Spectator, Web Only 2016

2014 -

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate, Dec/2016

2014 -

"The 2014 Cornas Lieu Dit Patou is also outstanding. Like all the wines here, it’s destemmed and spent 14 months in roughly 15% new French oak. Fresh and lively on the palate, with a pure, elegant style, it offers a touch of classic Cornas purple fruits, plenty of minerality and hints of violets on the nose. Drink it anytime over the coming 5-7 years."

Wine Spectator, Nov/2015

2013 -

"Bright and fresh, with violet and cassis notes out front, followed by darker blackberry, dark olive and charcoal notes. This builds through the finish, with a dark ganache accent peeking out and leaving a mouthwatering feel. A strong showing. Best from 2017 through 2027."

Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate, Dec/2014

2012 -

"A step up over the les Grands Muriers, the 2012 Cornas Lieu Dit Patou is a rocking Cornas that does everything right. Coming from a tiny lieu-dit in the southern part of Cornas, it offers up lots of classic dark fruits, beef blood, leather and game. Medium to full-bodied, ripe, textured and tannic, it will benefit from short-term cellaring and have 10-15 years of longevity."