2021 Domaine Johann Michel Cornas 750 ml

Vinous declared that “among the Northern Rhône’s fastest-rising stars, Johann Michel must be counted among the top in Cornas.” But his estate is tiny, just four hectares, which is why they followed up that praise with a warning: “with increasing local demand, his wines are getting tougher to find in export markets.”

It was not that long ago that Cornas was a secret handshake for Rhône insiders—but the word is out now. The past two decades have seen Cornas prices explode, and the region now challenges Hermitage as the most prestigious and expensive in the Rhône.

Yet Johann Michel has flown under the radar thanks to his combination of tiny size and intense local demand—despite the quality of the bottles coming out of his cellar. Vinous noted that they “don't seem to attract the attention they deserve,” but that means the lucky few Americans who have the chance to score a few bottles are getting one incredible deal.

In 2021, Michel had a brilliant vintage to work with: the kind of old-school, throwback year that produced gutsy, rugged wines in the style that made Cornas famous in the first place. Harvesting fruit from famed lieu-dits Saveaux, Patou, and Les Côtes, Michel destemmed his Syrah into stainless steel tanks, where it fermented for three full weeks.

Daily pump-overs and pigeage allowed him to fully extract the powerful dark fruit flavors in the grapes, and then aging for over a year in large, previously used barrels softened the tannins to soften while avoiding overt oak impact. This is a noble wine, drinking well now but also capable of aging well into the future.