Visiting Chateau de Corneilla

Chateau de Corneilla

Have you ever had dinner “inside” a well?

At Chateau de Corneilla in the Roussillon, this is a rare treat!

Jonqueres d’Oriola (Jon) lives in an actual castle.

During this visit to Chateau de Corneilla, Jon’s revealed that his family came to this area just south of Perpignan, France from Spain in 1337.

Just how this family ended up living in a castle remains a mystery.

With a smile, John revealed that his family had connections with the royal family of Spain.

Looking at him, with his fair complexion and fiery red hair, Jon looks more like a Scotsman than a Frenchman of Spanish decent. It may be natural to assume that Jon was literally “to the manner born.”

It may be natural to assume that Jon was literally “to the manner born.” Click to Tweet

Yet in the course of our conversation it is clear he paid his dues in various other parts of the wine/spirits/beer industry. Then he took an active role in working with his father in the family’s wine business.

Chateau de Corneilla: Winemaking School in Montpellier

Jon also attended winemaking school in Montpellier.

I met him for a tasting at his shop in the tiny village. Though the shop is bright and modern, neighbors came by every few minutes, asking for a bottle of wine for dinner. Click to Tweet Though the shop is bright and modern, neighbors came by every few minutes, asking for a bottle of wine for dinner.

The shop is built as a showcase for his Chateau de Corneilla wines and takes meetings.

Jon’s shop is bright and modern, with the wines arranged attractively (more like a high end trade show exhibition than a village shop).

He has many lines of wine, reflecting different quality levels and styles. As we taste through the various lines, he tells us a bit about himself, his family, his wines, and his journey.

Jon explains that the family’s fortified wines have been renown

ed for many years. Yet it’s only in the past 15 years that their tables wines have gained a similar fine reputation.

Grenache Grenache Grenache at Chateau de Corneilla

The family owns about 50 hectares, with the majority planted with Grenache.  The most famous wine recently is the comically named Gris Gris, a rosé made from Grenache Noir. 

The name has a double – even a triple – meaning as Vin Gris is a type of rose and the word also means “lucky charm.”

It tastes fresh and delicious and apparently is a big hit in summer at beach restaurants. The label shows a picture of Jon with one of his friends in black-and-white clothing from the 19th century. Click to Tweet  

The label shows a picture of Jon with one of his friends in black-and-white clothing from the 19^th century.

Jon is proud of the red and white Le Canaille, line with the white wine made from an equal blend of Chardonnay and Macabeo, and the red a blend of Grenache, Mourvedre, and Syrah. Both wines had outstanding balance.

My favorite wine in a lengthy line of tasting was the Calvacade 2015, a blend of majority Syrah with an equal part of Grenache and Mourvedre. It had very silky tannins and a powerful mouthfeel.

Chateau Corneilla 2016 Muscat de Rivesaltes

The sweet wines were a genuine treat. The Chateau Corneilla 2016 Muscat de Rivesaltes had a delicious aroma of passion fruit and lychee, while the 2007 Chateau de Corneilla Rivesaltes was rich from having spent six years in barrel.

After the tasting, Jon invited us to tour the castle before dinner. I had expected dinner in the castle, but it turns out that we would have dinner in an ancient water well just outside the castle.

Years earlier, Jon turned the old well into a storage area for his wine. The size of a tiny studio apartment, the dry water well is outfitted with bottles of aging wine, fine books, candles, and even a table. Click to Tweet  

The size of a tiny studio apartment, the dry water well is outfitted with bottles of aging wine, fine books, candles, and even a table.

Though I was initially hesitant to go down the steep ladder that led to the cellar, upon learning that his grandmother and very pregnant wife have made the journey, I bravely climbed down the ladder stairs and was rewarded with delicious wine and a fine meal.