Domaine Courbis Brings Classic St-Joseph and Cornas to Our Shelves
My recent trip through the Rhône was one of the most productive I can remember. I tasted with dozens of vintners, reconnected with many of our long-standing direct-import partners, and discovered several exciting new producers along the way.
One of my favorite “finds” from this trip was the exceptional range from Laurent and Dominique Courbis. The brothers craft some of the most compelling wines in St-Joseph and Cornas—benchmark examples of their respective appellations. The domaine farms roughly 37 hectares across these two key zones, with small parcels in St-Péray and other outlying Northern Rhône sites.
What has always drawn me to Courbis is their precision and sense of place. The wines are clean, classically styled, and transparently expressive of their terroirs. All work is done manually; the grapes are fully destemmed, and new oak, fining, and filtration are used sparingly. When I met Dominique Courbis during my visit and tasted through the full lineup, I was reminded just how complete these wines are—the depth of fruit, the polish, the balance. They’re Rhône through and through, yet utterly refined.
2023 Domaine Courbis "Champelrose" Cornas $44.99 92JS Sourced from parcels at the foot of the slopes in the Champelrose lieu-dit, this cuvée blends fruit from old vines planted in 1919 with a younger 15-year-old plot, totaling about two hectares. The wine is aged in 25% new oak, with the remainder in one- and two-year-old barrels. The Champelrose opens with a generous burst of black cherry and plum fruit. It’s sweet-edged and silky on the palate, showing the precision and intensity that only old vines can deliver. Pleasurable now, it will evolve with real beauty and grace over the coming decade.
2022 Domaine Courbis "Les Eygats" Cornas $74.99 93-95JD 93JS From a higher-elevation parcel at about 250 meters, this site’s average vine age is around 25 years. The vineyard yields roughly 5,000 bottles annually, with aging in 50% new oak and 50% one-year-old barrels—producing a serious, finely tuned expression of Cornas. Les Eygats opens with deep aromas of blackberry and boysenberry, its inviting nose drawing you back again and again. On the palate, it’s rich yet elegant, with sweet, seamless tannins and a supple texture. It’s a perfect crossover for fans of polished New World Syrah—think Stolpman or K Vintners—combining real depth with an underlying charm.
2022 Domaine Courbis "La Sabarotte" Cornas $89.99 95-97JD 94WS The domaine’s top site, La Sabarotte is a 1.5-hectare, southeast-facing slope of granitic sand and rocky outcrops, planted in 1947. Aged for about 18 months in a mix of new and one-year-old barrels, it’s the flagship of the estate—deep, powerful, and impeccably structured. La Sabarotte delivers deeply saturated flavors of black cherry, candied fig, sassafras, and bay leaf. With just a little patience, those savory, bacon-y nuances will emerge beautifully. Structurally built for the long haul and packed with concentration, it has stuffing for days—but even now, with a quick decant, it offers a thrilling glimpse of its future.