La Grande Colline
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Founded by legendary winemaker Hirotake Ooka, the property is now jointly managed by Thierry Allemand and former sommelier-turned-winemaker Jonathan Jacquart. Embracing and continuing the work of Ooka in the vineyards, Jacquart has pushed further even, embracing biodynamics in the vineyard and favoring a transparent style with great finesse and clarity.
Hiotake Ooka produced his first vintage of Grande Colline in 2001, following stints with both Grippat and Allemand where he learned the power of the vines' own natural growth cycles. While so many producers champion the idea of "low intervention", Hirotake actually eschewed all treatments, even organic or biodynamic ones. His wines were fascinating - whole-cluster fermentations, some carbonic maceration, and lots of ancient barrels.
Under Jonathan Jacquart's guidance since Ooka returned to Japan, the estate has not fully transformed as Jacquart followed much in the same vein, only opting to introduce more biodiversity and some vine treatments, and more closely following the wines' development through elevage to avoid any variation in the finished wines. True to the region of Cornas, the wines are gorgeously deep, with the trademark black pepper and smoked meat tones, in the most delightful fashion.
