Jana is the name of Johann and Emmanuelle's daughter.
Cuvee Jana displays black raspberry aromas, licorice, sizzled bacon and smoke. Elegant and pure, with depth and well-integrated tannins.
This wine is made from grapes coming from 2 different lieu-dits:
The parcel in the lieu-dit “Chaillot” was planted in 2000 by Johann himself.
The parcel in the lieu-dit “Les Côtes” was planted mostly in 2001 and 2003, also by Johann, but every year he is planting more vines on this parcel.
The vines are not coming from massal selection. It is a selection of the best Syrah vines from 2 “nurseries” : Domaine Auguste Clape and Domaine Courbis.
"There are two special cuvées from this estate. Looking first at the 2018 Cornas Cuvée Jana, it tastes like the essence of Cornas with its meaty, bloody aromas and flavors of scorched earth, ground pepper, rare steak, iron, cedar, and dark, almost blue fruits. Tight, tannic, and concentrated on the palate, this full-bodied effort packs incredible intensity and power yet stays lively, elegant, and weightless. It's a brilliant, brilliant Cornas, yet certainly not for those seeking instant gratification. It actually reminds me slightly of the incredibly age-worthy wines from Domaine Clape, and I suspect it will have a similar evolution. Hide bottles for 7-8 years and enjoy over the following two decades."
- Jeb Dunnuck (Northern Rhône: The 2018s and 2019s, November 19th 2020), 99 pts, #62 TOP 100
"Ripe black cherry and plum are perfumed by thrilling hits of fur, chocolate, smoke and bramble in this wine. Complex and moderately full bodied, it's irresistible for its inky, concentrated fruit. Fresh acidity and an earthen undertow lend balance. Beautiful already it should improve through 2037. - ANNA LEE C. IIJIMA"
- Wine Enthusiast Magazine (June/July 2020), 96 pts + Editor's Choice
"Coming from the granitic soils of the Chaillot lieu-dit and vines planted in 2000, the 2017 Cornas Cuvée Jana is the top cuvée and spent 12-14 months in second- and third-fill demi-muids. Its deep purple color is followed by a powerful, ripe, sexy Cornas that offers rocking notes of black fruits, scorched earth, burning ember, smoked game, and hints of tapenade. Complex, deep, and layered on the palate, yet beautifully balanced, it's a knockout bottle of wine that will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and knock your socks off over the following decade or more."
- Jeb Dunnuck (December 12th 2019), 95+ pts
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- Wine & Spirits Magazine (November 2019), 94 pts
YEAR'S BEST NORTHERN RHONE
"Vivid purple. Highly perfumed, spice- and smoke-accented aromas of ripe dark berries, smoked meat, olive paste and candied violet, lent urgency by a minerally element. At once rich and lively in style, offering concentrated blackberry, blueberry and floral pastille flavors that turn sweeter as the wine opens up. Shows excellent clarity on an impressively long, clinging finish that features youthful, gripping tannins and an emphatic, smoky bacon flourish. All whole clusters. - Josh Raynolds"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (September 2019), 94 pts
"Even better, and getting up in some rarified air, the 2016 Cornas Cuvée Jana is a special selection (it’s named after Johann and Emmanuelle’s daughter) from the Chaillot lieu-dit that’s not destemmed and is fermented and aged in 500-liter French oak (I believe mostly new). Thrilling notes of crème de cassis, smoked meats, rendered bacon fat, and crushed rocks all flow to a full-bodied Cornas that has thrilling purity of fruit, a multi-dimensional, seamless texture, and a finish that goes on for over a minute. This magical Cornas has the purity and balance to drink well even today, yet it will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and shine for 15-20 years. Bravo!"
- Jeb Dunnuck (March 27th 2019), 98 pts
#95 in the TOP100 Red Wines of 2019
"Distinctive, featuring a gorgeous frame of loam and roasted alder around a core of macerated dark currant, plum and blackberry fruit, this nonetheless stays vibrant and racy, with a blaze of iron defining the finish, backed by a mouthwatering white pepper note. Youthfully tight, so let this unfurl in the cellar. Best from 2018 through 2029. From France.—J.M."
- Wine Spectator Insider (July 20th 2016), 95 pts
"Similarly colored to the traditional cuvee, the 2014 Cornas Cuvée Jana has more purity and freshness, as well as mid-palate concentration. Giving up lots of black raspberry, smoked herbs, licorice, and garrigue/floral aromas and flavors, it’s medium to full-bodied, beautifully pure, elegant and classy. It should be one of the wines of the vintage."
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #222, December 2015), 91-94 pts
"Red Dense and backward, with a sappy core of kirsch, bitter plum and blackberry preserve notes, wrapped in iron-coated grip for now. Shows lots of racy cut on the finish, presenting anise and bay ac- cents. This will need some time to unwind. Best from 2017 through 2025.—J.M."
- Wine Spectator (August 2015), 93 pts
"A sensational effort from the young Johann Michel, the 2013 Cornas Cuvée Jana sports an inky purple/blue color to go with notes of crushed rocks, liquid violets, crème de cassis and dry, aged beef. Medium to full-bodied, elegant and seamless, it still packs a serious amount of fruit and depth. Drink this beauty anytime over the coming 10-12 years."
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #222, December 2015), 93 pts
"Glass-staining ruby. A complex bouquet evokes ripe dark berries and floral pastilles, along with suggestions of licorice, woodsmoke and olive paste. Broad and fleshy in the mouth, offering juicy black and blue fruit and spicecake flavors supported by zesty acidity. Rich yet vibrant and precise, finishing gently sweet and long, with slow-building tannins. - Josh Raynolds"
- Vinous (March 2016), 92 pts
"Bigger and richer (than the cuvée Tradition), with notions of barbecue, smoke, bloody meat, plum and licorice, the 2012 Cornas Jana packs a serious amount of fruit into its full-bodied, voluptuously textured profile, yet never seems cumbersome or over the top. Count me a fan and this knockout Cornas excels on all accounts. Unfortunately, there’s not much of it to go around. Grab a couple bottles if you can, and enjoy it over the coming 15-20 years. - JD"
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue #210, December 2013), 93-95 pts
Go To Johann Michel Cornas Cuvee Jana
"The 2011 Cornas Cuvee Jana is one of the top wines of the vintage. It offers notes of lead pencil shavings, pen ink and creme de cassis in its full-bodied, lusty, opulent personality. In contrast, the fabulous 2010 possesses even more tannin, power and concentration – as hard as that is to believe. These are both impressive vintages from this up-and-coming young Cornas producer."
Wine Advocate (Robert Parker, issue #204, December 2012), 92-94 pts
Go To Johann Michel Cornas Cuvee Jana
"Inky ruby. A wild, highly perfumed bouquet presents dark berry compote, cherry pit, black tea and candied violet. Smoky, spicy and penetrating, with strong lift and punch to its blueberry and cherry-cola flavors. The smoky note carries through an impressively long, sweet and gently tannic finish. If 2011 is supposed to have made weak-kneed wines then this one didn't get the memo. - JR"
Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (Mar/Apr 2013), 92 pts
Go To Johann Michel Cornas Cuvee Jana
"The 2010 Cornas Cuvee Jana (which comes primarily from the Chaillots vineyard) is outrageously delicious. Explosive notes of blackberries, gun flint and acacia flowers are followed by a heady, full-throttle, dense, skyscraper-like Cornas. Massive concentration, considerable tannins, abundant extract, but no hard edges result in a wine with exceptional potential. Forget it for 3-4 years and drink it over the following 25+ years. - Robert Parker"
Wine Advocate (Robert Parker, issue #204, December 2012), 96 pts
Go To Johann Michel Cornas Cuvee Jana
Johann Michel is a self-taught winemaker who discovered his passion while tasting old bottles of wine with his grandfather. His first vintage was 1997. He works alongside his wife Emmanuelle, ...
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