Tunnel Saint-Joseph 2024

Stephane Robert’s Domaine du Tunnel just recently passed its thirtieth anniversary, but its critical acclaim far exceeds what one might expect from such a young domaine in the ancient and tiny Northern Rhône appellation of Cornas. People first took notice of it from the feature that provides its name; the barrel room is an old railroad tunnel punched into the hillside just above the appellation. By now, though, its reputation for quality is what brings wine lovers to the door.

Saint-Joseph is the appellation next door. It’s much larger than Cornas, but its vertiginous slopes are like those of neighboring Côte Rôtie, making cultivation difficult. The 2024 is very nice — ripe and round with good balance. Castaing found it “gourmand and already approachable,” with “delicate notes of violets, dark cherry, dark berries, and flowers.“ He awarded it 91 points, praising its “gently spicy and fresh finish.”