Cave de Tain - Cornas Arènes Sauvages 2020

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

The winery now has a vinification facility large enough to process the grapes it receives and produce its wide range of wines. It stands on equal footing with the region’s finest producers. In Hermitage—the pride of the members, who can rely on the vineyards bequeathed by founder Gambert de Loche—the Epsilon cuvée is truly impressive. With a limited production run (1,500 bottles), it is a great wine that every discerning wine lover should have in their cellar.

Decanter

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

Fifty-year-old vines and 16 months of aging in oak have given rise to this cuvée, which displays a confident balance and rich nuance, with an open nose of raspberry jelly, violet candy, and black pepper, underscored by toasty and caramelized notes from the oak. This lovely expressiveness continues on the palate with a round, concentrated mouthfeel, enlivened by a subtle menthol-like freshness and supported by powerful tannins that promise great potential.

About the estate:

Founded in 1933 by Louis Gambert de Loche, the high-quality Tain-l'Hermitage cooperative winery has 310 members and, with more than 1,000 hectares of vineyards, produces approximately 50% of the wines from the Northern Rhône Valley on its own. It also owns 26 hectares of its own vineyards, including 21 hectares in Hermitage. A trusted name in the region, the winery acquired brand-new production facilities in 2014, enabling it to expand its range of single-vineyard wines.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the estate:

As the largest cooperative winery in the northern Rhône, the Cave de Tain is a must-see for tourists visiting the region, if only because it has a large parking lot located at the foot of Hermitage Hill, offering a panoramic view all the way down to the hillside. The wines cover nearly all of the region’s appellations—with the exception of Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie—across a range of quality levels and styles. Collectively, the members cultivate just under 30 hectares of Hermitage, making the cooperative the second-largest landowner in that appellation. The entry-level wines are often pleasant and well-made, offering good value for the price, while some of the top-tier cuvées are ripe and oaky—perhaps even offering too much of both for some consumers.

Wine Enthusiast

Jancis Robinson

Vinous

James Suckling

About the wine:

A refined nose of dark fruits, plums, herbs, and mild spices. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins. Full-bodied and dense, yet it retains a refined character throughout its aging. Good texture and structure, with a flavorful finish. Ready to drink or suitable for aging.

Jeb Dunnuck

About the wine:

A step above the rest, the 2020 Cornas Arènes Sauvages offers a whole new level of purity and precision. Blackberries, violets, ripe cherries, spices, and hints of meat come together to create a medium-bodied to full-bodied wine of remarkable purity and precision. It will age for about 10 to 12 years and is exceptional.