Cave de Tain - Cornas Arènes Sauvages 2020

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

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

Decanter

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

Vines that are 50 years old and 16 months of aging in oak have given rise to this cuvée, which boasts a confident, nuanced balance and 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, which is round and concentrated, enlivened by a delicate minty freshness and supported by powerful tannins with a promising firmness.

About the estate:

Founded in 1933 by Louis Gambert de Loche, the high-quality Tain-l'Hermitage cooperative winery has 310 members and, with over 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 reliable choice in the region, the winery acquired brand-new production facilities in 2014, enabling it to expand its range of single-vineyard selections.

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 features a large parking lot at the foot of Hermitage Hill, offering a panoramic view all the way up the slope. 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 them the second-largest landowner in this appellation. The entry-level wines are often pleasant and well-made, offering good value for money, while some of the top-tier cuvées are ripe and oaky, perhaps offering even too much of both for some consumers.

Wine Enthusiast

Jancis Robinson

Vinous

James Suckling

About the wine:

A refined nose of dark fruit, plums, herbs, and mild spices. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins. Full-bodied and dense, yet retaining a refined character throughout its development. Good texture and structure, with a savory finish. Ready to drink now or 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- to full-bodied wine of remarkable purity and precision. It will age for about 10 to 12 years and is exceptional.