Les Arenes
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 5 to 15 years from the vintage release, as the firm youthful tannins soften into a velvety texture.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted rosemary lamb, wild venison, or slow-cooked beef stew.
✨ Technical Specifications
Hailing from the sun-drenched, amphitheater-like slopes of the Cornas appellation in the Northern Rhône, M. Chapoutier's 'Les Arènes' is a profound expression of 100% Syrah. The name 'Les Arènes' refers to the decomposed granitic sands (arènes) that dominate the steep, terraced vineyards of this historic region, where vines must dig deep for nutrients. Cornas, deriving its name from the Celtic term for 'burnt earth,' is celebrated for its intense heat retention and rugged terrain. Chapoutier meticulously crafts this wine from hand-harvested grapes, fermenting in open concrete vats before aging the wine in oak casks for 14 to 16 months. This traditional approach coaxes out the classic, powerful, and deeply savory character of Cornas Syrah, balancing dark fruit with signature notes of black pepper, tapenade, and smoky minerality.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in 1808 in Tain-l'Hermitage in the Rhône Valley, M. Chapoutier has grown into one of France's most celebrated wine houses, propelled to international acclaim following Michel Chapoutier's visionary leadership in 1990. A pioneer in biodynamic viticulture and minimal-intervention winemaking, the estate is revered for its single-vineyard 'sélections parcellaires' that articulate the purest nuances of individual terroirs across the Rhône and beyond. Iconic for incorporating Braille script on every label since 1996, Chapoutier produces benchmark expressions of Syrah, Marsanne, and Grenache across prestigious appellations including Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
🍇 Grape Varieties
Syrah 100%
🍷 Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
13.5-14.5%