At the most southern tip of the Burgundy Region, the Cornin Estate spreads ten hectares around the village of Chaintré, a small, traditional village of the Mâconnais Region.

Family run, it is now managed by father Dominique and son Romain, in biodynamic principles. While the domaine was established in its own name in 1993, it was in the hands of the great-grandfather over 100 years ago.

One of the treasure of the estate is the venerable old vines, some of which 80-100 years old.

“The youthful, well-trained Romain Cornin is undoubtedly a winemaker to keep an eye on” – Tim Atkin

Grape variety: Chardonnay

Vine age: planted between 1909 and 1965 in Chaintré and Fuissé

Harvest: hand picked

Pruning: Guyot system-one arched cane

Fermentation: thermo-regulated vat

Maturing and refining: in stainless steel vats for approximately 12 months over fine lees. No fining. Light filtration

Dare to be seduced by its golden robe, fresh lemon nose, anise accents and dramatic display of exotic fruit. Created from four plots, each with different qualities, this estate vintage is the epitome of the unique terroir mosaic an appellation is made up of.
This wine is bursting with impatience to be enjoyed with a perfect dozen escargots. Isn’t life grand in Pouilly Fuissé?

Wine Advocate – 92 points

Notes of peach, pear, orange oil, white flowers and toasted nuts preface the 2019 Pouilly-Fuissé, a medium to full-bodied, ample and lively wine that’s pure and penetrating. As usual, it derives from a multitude of small parcels within the commune of Chaintré.

As I have written before, this fine 10-hectare domaine located in and around Chaintré deserves to be better known. Synthetic herbicides are rejected in favor of working the soils, and the Cornins practice biodynamic methods in a sector where such conscientiousness is far from the norm. The harvest is by hand, with fermentation in stainless steel followed by élevage in used barrels and demi-muids for the lieu-dit bottlings. Many of the domaine’s vines are very old—fully a century old in the case of Les Serreudières. The result is fleshy but succulent wines that deliver immense pleasure on release but which are balanced to mature gracefully in the cellar. This is a serious estate, and Romain Cornin’s commitment to his vineyards is just as evident as his diligence in the cuverie and cellar. The domaine’s 2019s have turned out very well: concentrated and fleshy but underpinned by bright acids, everything reviewed her comes warmly recommended.

Decanter – 91 points

Romain Cornin, based in the village of Chaintré in Macon, has been producing organically at this 10ha estate since 2000. The vines were planted between 1909 and 1965 with oak being used more sparingly than in many Pouilly-Fuissés. The resulting wine has an intriguing, floral and herbal nose, and although quite plush on the palate, there is plenty of drive and energy here with restrained oak and complex flavours of fennel and aniseed, balancing some tropical notes.