Cellar Favorite: 1990 Guy de Barjac Cornas 

BY NEAL MARTIN | JULY 7, 2025

Stick me on a desert island with a choice of one Rhône wine, and I would choose Cornas. I love this appellation, especially the odd occasion when a mature bottle crops up. Dining with friends at Noble Rot in London, I must thank my friend who introduced me to this wonderful Cornas from a producer I knew little about: Guy de Barjac. Consulting John Livingston-Learmonth’s indispensable “The Wines of the Northern Rhône,” I was fascinated to discover that not only can Barjac’s viticultural roots be traced back to the 15th century, but that there is a Cornas lieu-dit named after the family—the 1.13-hectare Barjasse. As it turns out, 1990 was the last vintage that Guy de Barjac bottled. “Guy de Barjac loves parchments and medieval manuscripts and reads Latin for a hobby,” writes Livingston-Learmonth, detailing Barjac’s hobbies after retirement. “De Barjac is also known for deciphering 12th-century documents in Gothic script.” Brilliant.

Over time, the family’s holdings were rented out to growers such as Colombo and Domaine de Fauterie. I could find no professional reviews for his wines—none on Vinous, just a couple of desultory reviews elsewhere. Time to correct that. The valedictory 1990 Cornas has an exquisite bouquet with red fruit, mint, sorrel and just a light brush of bay leaf, understated yet gaining considerable depth upon second pour. The palate exudes elegance, harnessing the opulence and generosity of the 1990 vintage that has been abraded by time. Quite poised with fluid tannins and an effortless, garrigue-tinged finish, this Cornas is just showing what it can do at 35 years old. There’s plenty left in the tank. Just sublime. 94/Drink 2025-2040.

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