Franck Balthazar makes his best wines from 2 very old parcels of vines on the granitic slopes of Les Chaillots above the village of Cornas – the Cornas Chaillot includes some vines planted in 1911. The domaine was founded by Balthazar’s grandfather, and has always been in family hands, growing over time. In 2006 Balthazar acquired a further prestigious parcel in the Chaillots vineyard from his uncle, the great Noel Verset, who was then winding down his own domaine. Ploughing is done by horse, and the domaine converted to fully organic viticulture in 2010. Vinification still takes place in the small domaine cellars behind Cornas village church; Balthazar practises whole cluster fermentation, with no fining or filtration. (NT 28/01/15)