Domaine du Tunnel

Stéphane Robert created Domaine du Tunnel in 1994, starting with 2.5 hectares of vines on the right bank of the Rhône, in Ardèche, in the Cornas, Saint-Péray and Saint-Joseph appellations. Before founding the domaine, Robert worked at the J.L. Grippat estate, which was later bought by Guigal. In 2013 the domaine widened its range with a further appellation, Condrieu. In 2014 Robert rehabilitated a tunnel at the lieu-dit Barras in Saint-Péray to house a vinification and ageing cellar. In the early 20th century this 170-metre cut-stone tunnel carried a steam train linking Valence to Vernoux-en-Vivarais, and the estate's name refers to it. The cellar overlooks the Rhône valley, with a view of the Château de Crussol. The domaine's boutique is in the centre of Saint-Péray.

• 1994: Stéphane Robert created the domaine with 2.5 hectares in Cornas, Saint-Péray and Saint-Joseph.
• 2013: Condrieu added to the range.
• 2014: a former steam-railway tunnel at Barras, Saint-Péray, rehabilitated as the vinification and ageing cellar.
• Earlier career: Robert worked at the J.L. Grippat estate before it was bought by Guigal.

Stéphane Robert founded the domaine and is its vigneron; as of February 2020 he was its proprietor. Sandrine and Stéphane sign the estate's welcome to visitors.

• Stéphane Robert: founder (1994) and vigneron; proprietor as of February 2020.
• Sandrine: signs the estate's welcome to visitors with Stéphane.

The domaine farms 12 hectares spread over the communes of Saint-Péray, Cornas, Glun, Mauves, Tournon-sur-Rhône and Chavanay, up from 8 hectares in 2007 and 11 hectares across four appellations in 2020. The cuvées are made mainly from old vines on slopes or terraces with granitic soils. Syrah is grown for Cornas and Saint-Joseph, Marsanne and Roussanne for Saint-Péray, and Viognier for Condrieu. All vineyard work and the harvest are done by hand. The Cornas draws on about fifteen parcels, among them the lieux-dits Sauman, Combes, Les Côtes, Les Mazards, Cayret, Patou, Les Eygas and Champelrose. The Saint-Péray comes from parcels at the lieux-dits Barras and Les Grandes Blaches, and the Pur Blanc from a small clos of vines more than 100 years old at l'Arzalier, in the centre of Saint-Péray. The Saint-Joseph vines, with an average age of 40 years, lie in Tournon-sur-Rhône, Mauves and Glun. The Condrieu comes from the lieu-dit Chanson, through a parcel exchange with Stéphane Montez of Domaine du Monteillet.

• 12 hectares in six communes: Saint-Péray, Cornas, Glun, Mauves, Tournon-sur-Rhône and Chavanay.
• Mainly old vines on granitic slopes and terraces; vineyard work and harvest by hand.
• Cornas: about fifteen parcels, including Sauman, Combes, Les Côtes, Les Mazards, Cayret, Patou, Les Eygas and Champelrose.
• Condrieu: lieu-dit Chanson, from a parcel exchange with Stéphane Montez of Domaine du Monteillet.

For the Cornas and Saint-Joseph, Robert mainly uses barrels that have held one to three previous wines; depending on the cuvée and the vintage, he may also use new barrels or wooden vats. The classic Cornas and the Saint-Joseph are vinified and aged parcel by parcel for 14 months, the Cornas in barrels that have held three previous wines. As of 2015, Robert included 10 to 50 per cent stems in his classic Cornas, though he was wary of stems because of their potassium content. The Cornas Lieu-dit Toto and the Saint-Joseph Peygros are held for a year before release. The Saint-Péray whites are aged for 8 to 10 months, and the Condrieu, vinified and aged like the Saint-Péray to give fresh notes, spends 8 months in barrel. The whole production is sold in bottle, and the domaine exports 25% of it.

• Cornas and Saint-Joseph: 14 months, vinified and aged by parcel.
• Barrels mainly of one to three previous wines; new barrels or wooden vats depending on cuvée and vintage.
• Classic Cornas: 10 to 50 per cent stems as of 2015.
• Whites: 8 to 10 months; the Condrieu 8 months in barrel.

The red range is all Syrah: Cornas, Cornas Vin Noir, Cornas Pur Noir, Cornas Lieu-dit Toto, Saint-Joseph and Saint-Joseph Peygros. Vin Noir comes from three old-vine slopes, and Pur Noir is a selection of one or two barrels from parcels more than 100 years old; both are aged 14 months in barrique. Lieu-dit Toto, from a single parcel at Sauman in Cornas, is a new cuvée whose first vintage was 2022. Peygros is a parcel selection of old vines at Tournon-sur-Rhône. The Saint-Péray whites are the Cuvée Marsanne (100% Marsanne), the Cuvée Roussanne (100% Roussanne), the Cuvée Prestige (80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne, aged 8 months in barrel and tank) and Pur Blanc (100% Marsanne). The Condrieu is 100% Viognier, made in a limited quantity of only two barrels.

• Cornas: the classic cuvée, Vin Noir, Pur Noir and Lieu-dit Toto (first vintage 2022).
• Saint-Joseph and Saint-Joseph Peygros, both 100% Syrah.
• Saint-Péray: Cuvée Marsanne, Cuvée Roussanne, Cuvée Prestige and Pur Blanc.
• Condrieu: 100% Viognier, limited to two barrels.

Wine Spectator's James Molesworth closed his November 2007 visit notes on the domaine with 'Another new domaine to watch.' Richard Hemming MW scored the 2018 Saint-Joseph 17.5, tasted blind, which put it in the top 20% of northern Rhône reds, and in 2020 he observed that the domaine had until then been better known for its Saint-Péray whites. Decanter's Matt Walls listed Domaine du Tunnel among the key Cornas producers in his Cornas and St-Péray 2021 report.

• 2018 Saint-Joseph: 17.5 points from Richard Hemming MW, tasted blind.
• Listed by Matt Walls among the key Cornas producers of the 2021 vintage.

Matt Walls finds Robert's Cornas a little richer and riper in profile than most of the other producers in his 2021 list of ten Cornas estates, calling it 'a deep but approachable style of Cornas.' Of the Saint-Joseph, Richard Hemming MW wrote in 2020 that 'the style of the wine is both classic Syrah and classic St-Joseph.' The estate's own note on Cornas Vin Noir presents a palate in the style of Stéphane Robert, with density and a silky texture of tannins.

Primary sources (producer's own site): https://www.domaine-du-tunnel.fr/, https://www.domaine-du-tunnel.fr/les-vins/les-vins-blancs/, https://www.domaine-du-tunnel.fr/les-vins/les-vins-rouges/. Secondary sources: JancisRobinson.com (Richard Hemming MW, 14 February 2020), Decanter (Matt Walls, 26 October 2021 and 12 December 2022; Andrew Jefford, 26 May 2015) and Wine Spectator (James Molesworth, 1 November 2007). Last verified 2026-10-14. Where the producer's site and a secondary source disagree, the producer's site governs.