Micro Production, Traditionally Made Cornas - The Price is Embarassingly Low Given the Quality

"This tiny estate (covers a scant 1.5 hectare) has fashioned some serious 2012s and 2013s. This was

my first time tasting the wines of Serrette, and I came away impressed."
Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate

Sometimes a price can be so enticing through my model that I have to sit back, put my legs on the desk, admire my dope sneakers that I have on for a second, let out a satisfied deep breath and be very pleased with myself. On the other hand, I feel sort of odd when the price is half of what it should be - I want my customers to know that this is a very well made wine that should cost $70-$80, but I just got a great deal.  Obviously for the price to be terrific the wine has to be as well and in this case it is more than terrific. Today I can offer the 2014 Nicolas Serette Cornas "Les Saveaux" for as little as $34.99 a bottle on the 4-pack. If one remembers the 2013 was around $38 a 4-pack. The Euro has dropped since last year so we are passing on the savings and selling this for under $35, which is a ridiculous value for traditional Cornas from old vines (70 year old vines) made in these quantities.  Cornas like this usually cost $70-$80. Probably more.

This is from new 70 year old vineyards that Nicolas bought from his sister. The wine is all about stunning purity of fruit and lifting aromas. The waves of fruit and the velvety tannins only add to the allure. This is a very clean Cornas, with cool climate vintage written all over it. Crunchy black fruits, loads of dark minerality, some Parker faves, camphor and creosote, along with velvety tannins, lifting acidity and firm structure. The only big difference between this and the Patou is the soils, which we all know can be a huge difference. In the Les Saveaux it is sand and decomposed granite which give this wine a more early accessibility than the Patou; it's more about aromatics and fruit than structure.

2014  is looking like another very good yet very cool styled vintage in the Northern Rhone, particularly for Syrah.  It can be drunk now but will be at best in 5-10 years when the aromas really get going.

The wine is totally destemmed than aged in oak barrels for 17 months (it will be bottled in February) It has incredible transparency and purity to it and really shows the excellent terroir of each appellation. I was blown away by this wine tasting it in barrel. Tasted all the components and then tasted an approximate blend made in the cellar.

Nicolas Serette doesn't make much wine.  He doesn't market his wine aggressively so he just sells it incredibly cheap.  The name Serrette goes way back in Cornas to 1515 and the Serrette family has owned vines since 1938. They sold to all the big negociants in the area: Delas, Jaboulet and Chapoutier. In 1983 they decided to bottle their own wine and the wine world is a better place as a result.  Nicolas' first vintage was 2006, but before that it was called Dumien-Serette.Nicolas farms organically and uses organic fertilizer but is not certified. He presses the grapes in an old fashioned basket press. He then ages the wine in 2-7 year old barrels for two years. No secrets or sorcery just old school Cornas made in a very traditional way.

2014 Nicolas Serrette Cornas "Saveaux" - $36.99 ($139.96 4-pack) (LIMITED)