10% off any 12 or more in-stock Durand wines
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Discount ends Saturday, January 27th at 9 am Pacific
It’s hard to find Northern Rhône wines that combine soul and polish—it seems as if most of the new wines we taste are either hyper glossy or very rustic. To hit that sweet spot, crafting wines that speak very loudly of place but are elegant, drinkable and age-worthy—that’s special indeed. The brothers Eric and Joël of Domaine Durand do just that with their excellent offerings from Cornas and Saint-Joseph.
Delivering ripe fruit, savory minerality and lifted aromatics, the meticulous work by these brothers is evident from first pour. The estate owns select parcels throughout Cornas. The plots are steeply terraced and worked exclusively by hand. The parcels are composed of mostly old-vines that thrive even in ripe vintages, such as the recent trio of 2018, 2019, and 2020.
Of the wines, the Saint-Joseph is the most immediate, offering ripe aromatics and a fleshy mouthfeel. It offers an excellent look into the vintage and is rewarding now. From Cornas, the brothers produce three wines from just shy of 24 acres: the Prémices, Empreintes, and Confidence. Prémices is sourced from the youngest vines that produce velvety wines full of fruits and spices. Empreintes is a bottling of plots with granite soils from throughout Cornas. The wines offer powerful aromatics and a tightly tannic core. Worthy of a hearty decant, these wines will cellar well for over a decade. The top bottling on offer is the Confidence, crafted from vines at least thirty-years-old. This is the most complex and concentrated of wines, offering up dark fruit, spice, and mineral aromatics. Powerful, this wine could cellar for quite some time but is rewarding in its youth with grippy tannins that beg to be paired with winter braises and fatty meats.
We’ve adored this estate and stocked up on their wines over several vintages because we know you’ll love them, too. So, stock up during our sale and enjoy the wines for years to come.
“One of my favorite estates in Cornas (although the domaine is in Châteaubourg), Domaine Durand is run with incredible talent and passion by Eric and Joël Durand… These are terrific wines that offer pleasure in their youth yet also age gracefully… The brothers took over the estate in 1991, and while the winemaking is relatively modern, these are classic, pure, beautifully made wines that speak clearly to their region and terroir.” – Jeb Dunnuck
“Among the under-the-radar producers in the northern Rhône, this 20-hectare domaine has been run by brothers Eric and Joël Durand since 1996. It’s a shame because the wines warrant more attention while pricing is quite friendly given the quality delivered. Domaine Durand produces a collection of generous, fruit-driven and polished wines that’s led by four Cornas bottlings consistently among the most approachable of the appellation…” – Josh Raynolds, Vinous
“Located in the tiny village of Châteaubourg, Joël and Eric Durand are quietly turning out some impressive wines from their family holdings in Saint-Joseph and Cornas.” – Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
In Stock and On Sale Now from Eric & Joel Durand:
Domaine Eric et Joël Durand Cornas Prémices 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $34.50, that’s $32.78 at 5% off and $31.05 at 10% off, 21 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 94 points “This is packed with dark fig and blackberry paste flavors that roll through slowly but steadily, unveiling extra dark olive, sweet bay leaf, singed alder and juniper accents along the way. There’s buried minerality that should rise to prominence with cellaring. Best from 2023 through 2035. 900 cases made, 140 cases imported. –JM”
Jeb Dunnuck 93 points “The base cuvée from this estate, the 2019 Cornas Prémices is all Syrah that was 80% destemmed. Up-front plum, blackberry, and blueberry fruits, graphite, and peppery herbs all emerge from the glass, and this medium to full-bodied beauty offers a wealth of fruit, no hard edges, and a great finish. It’s a perfect introduction to the wines of this high-quality estate.”
Domaine Eric et Joël Durand Cornas Prémices 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $33, that’s $31.35 at 5% off and $29.70 at 10% off, 17 bottles in stock now
Wine Spectator 93 points “Juicy and youthfully compact, with a core of red and black currant fruit that will need a little time to unfurl. Boasts a backdrop of dried anise and sweet tapenade, along with a refined iron note and a nicely poised finish. Best from 2024 through 2034. 900 cases made, 140 cases imported.”
Domaine Eric et Joël Durand Cornas Empreintes 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $49, that’s $46.55 at 5% off and $44.10 at 10% off, 16 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 93+ points “The 2018 Cornas Empreintes offers a riper, more concentrated style, delivering lots of plum and darker currant fruits intermixed with notions of smoked herbs, ground pepper, violets, lavender, and spice box. It’s rich, full-bodied, and concentrated, yet the tannins here are more present, and it has a closed, angular style that’s going to benefit from bottle age. Give bottles 3-4 years at a minimum and it should have a solid decade of longevity after that.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 92-94 points “Nearly as good as the Confidence, the Durands’ 2018 Cornas Empreintes is more open and approachable, with sexy blueberry, blackberry and vanilla nuances. It’s full-bodied, creamy and plush, with a long, vibrant finish.”
Domaine Eric et Joël Durand Cornas Empreintes 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $44.50, that’s $42.28 at 5% off and $40.05 at 10% off, 36+ bottles in stock now
Domaine Eric et Joël Durand Cornas Empreintes 2019 1.5L Displayed Price: $99, that’s $94.05 at 5% off and $89.10 at 10% off, 11 magnums in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 95 points “Iron, peppered game, smoked black and blue fruits, and new leather notes emerge from the 2019 Cornas Empreintes, and it’s medium to full-bodied and wonderfully balanced, with ripe tannins and one hell of a great finish. It’s another pure, balanced, fruit-loaded beauty from this estate that has tons of character. This cuvée comes from hillside parcels (a mix of granite and limestone) and 30-year-old vines. It was 75% destemmed and spent a year in 20% new barrels.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 95 points “Sure, the 2019 Cornas Empreintes is lightly cedary up front, but those notes are more than balanced by crushed stone, salted licorice, and bold cassis and blueberry flavors. Full-bodied and concentrated, this is a rock-solid Cornas with a long, dusty finish, capable of aging and improving up to two decades. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.”
Domaine Eric et Joël Durand Cornas Empreintes 2020 750ml Displayed Price: $44.50, that’s $42.28 at 5% off and $40.05 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “More density and depth, as well as precision, emerge from the 2020 Cornas Empreintes, a smaller production cuvée from 30-year-old vines. Its deep purple hue is followed by a beautiful perfume of black and blue fruits, bloody meat, pepper, and spring flowers. I love its focus and length on the palate, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with plenty of tannins, a great mid-palate, and a salty, bloody finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. It’s a “wow” Cornas for sure.”
Domaine Eric et Joël Durand Cornas Confidence 2018 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $52.10 at 10% off, 36+ bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 96 points “One of my favorite Cornas, the 2018 Cornas Confidence comes from pure granite soils and was partially destemmed and brought up in 30% new French oak. The 2018 is a head-turner, revealing a dense purple color as well as sensational notes of crème de cassis, smoked bacon, graphite, bouquet garni, and liquid rock-like minerality. Rich, full-bodied, and opulent, with sweet tannins, this is one sexy Cornas that’s going to benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and cruise for 10-15 years in cold cellars.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 94 points “From the family’s mature vines (average of 30 years old) on granitic sites, the 2018 Cornas Confidence matured in 30% new oak, yet that has been “soaked up” by the wine to the point that nearly no cedar notes are discernible. Instead, there are scents of crushed stone, dark plum and dusty earth. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it’s concentrated and tannic but not unapproachable, with a silky, lingering finish and a sprinkling of ground pepper and aniseed.”
Domaine Eric et Joël Durand Cornas Confidence 2019 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 36+ bottles in stock now
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “Lastly, the 2019 Cornas Confidence is all Syrah that was 70% destemmed and spent 18 months in 30% new barrels. A classic wine from this estate, it brings tons of richness and depth in a pure, clean, quasi-modern style while still being pure Cornas to the core. Dark fruits, ground pepper, game, violets, and spice all give way to a full-bodied, wonderfully textured, balanced 2019 with the texture and balance to offer pleasure today yet also evolve for two decades.”
Joe Czerwinski-Wine Advocate 95 points “The 2019 Cornas Confidence shows a bit of toasty oak up front (30% new wood is standard for this cuvée), then develops notes of crushed stone, red plums, mint, violets, cassis and raspberry sherbet. Full-bodied, velvety and long, it’s an intense, complex thrill ride of Cornas that just needs several years in the cellar. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.”
Wine Spectator 95 points “Rich and juicy, particularly for Cornas, with waves of red currant and blackberry compote rolling through. There’s more defining chalk, savory and olive accents on the back end and a singed alder frame around it all. Needs a bit of time to finish knitting together, but this is very, very solid. Best from 2023 through 2036. 150 cases made, 50 cases imported. — JM”
Domaine Eric et Joël Durand Saint-Joseph Les Coteaux Rouge 2021 750ml Displayed Price: $29, that’s $27.55 at 5% off and $26.10 at 10% off, 23 bottles in stock now
“The 2021 Saint Joseph Les Coteaux showed well, with a medium-bodied, juicy, refreshing style that’s very much in the mold of the vintage. Ripe black and some blue fruits, plenty of minerality, notes of peppery herbs and violets, and nicely integrated acidity all define this focused, elegant 2021.” -Jeb Dunnuck