Domaine du Tunnel
Stéphane Robert, Founder of Domaine du Tunnel in Saint-Péray
Founded in 1994 by Stéphane Robert, Domaine du Tunnel is based in Saint-Péray, in the Ardèche, in the heart of the northern Rhône Valley. In the beginning, the winemaker farmed 2.5 hectares of vines spread across the Cornas, Saint-Joseph and Saint-Péray appellations. Over the years, he has gradually expanded the estate, which now covers 13 hectares, and added the Condrieu appellation to his range in 2013.
Domaine du Tunnel is above all a family adventure. Since its creation, Stéphane Robert has worked alongside his wife Sandrine. Their children, Emma and Lucas, are also pursuing training in the wine trade.
The estate stands out for its location on steep slopes and granitic terraces, where old vines play an important role.
A Former Railway Tunnel Turned Aging Cellar
In 2014, Stéphane Robert restored a former railway tunnel located in the Barras lieu-dit, in Saint-Péray, to house his winemaking and aging cellar. Built in the early 20th century, this 170-meter-long structure once linked Valence to Vernoux-en-Vivarais.
Located about 40 meters underground, the tunnel offers a temperature and humidity that are naturally suited to aging wine. The facilities also allow for gravity-flow winemaking, limiting the handling of both grapes and wine.
Cornas and Saint-Joseph, the Great Syrah Terroirs of Domaine du Tunnel
Domaine du Tunnel owns vines in several iconic appellations of the Northern Rhône, with a strong focus on Cornas and Saint-Joseph. These two appellations produce red wines made exclusively from Syrah, a grape variety particularly well suited to the region's granitic slopes.
In Cornas, Stéphane Robert works around fifteen parcels spread across different lieux-dits, notably Combes, Les Côtes, Les Mazards, Cayret and Patou.
The Cornas Vin Noir cuvée comes from three old-vine slopes located in the Combes, Les Eygas and Champelrose sectors. It stands out for its density, texture and silky tannins, with significant aging potential.
In Saint-Joseph, the vines are on average 40 years old. They produce Syrah wines whose expression combines fruity, floral and spicy notes.
The estate also produces white wines in Saint-Péray, from Marsanne and Roussanne, as well as a Condrieu made from Viognier, reflecting the diversity of the terroirs worked by Stéphane Robert.
Hand-Tended Vineyards on the Rhône Slopes
On the sometimes steep slopes of Domaine du Tunnel, vineyard work relies essentially on manual interventions. From pruning to harvest, including disbudding and leaf removal, every stage is carried out with particular attention to the vines and their environment.
Soil maintenance is also done without machinery, notably using pickaxes, winches or horse-drawn plowing. This approach is accompanied by various initiatives to preserve biodiversity, such as planting hedgerows, grazing sheep on certain parcels and collecting rainwater.
In the cellar, the Cornas and Saint-Joseph are vinified in stainless steel tanks before 14 months of aging in barrels. Stéphane Robert mainly favors barrels that have already held one to three vintages.
Discover the wines of Domaine du Tunnel selected by RP Fine Wines, through these three cuvées representative of Stéphane Robert's work on the great terroirs of the Northern Rhône.
