1996 Cornas
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Tasting notes
The 1996 Cornas Displays dried cherry and redcurrant aromas and flavors, with hints of musky herbs, violet and smoky minerals coming up with air. Dry and taut, with peppery spice and floral qualities sneaking in on the finish, this is no doubt on lean side, with good clarity but only modest depth and flavor intensity. It closes tight and smoky, with gentle tannic grip and a slightly vegetal touch of rhubarb lingering. This vintage chez Verset has always shown these qualities to me, going back to when it was first released. It's not dying so much as it didn't have a lot to begin with.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
This wine was tasted twice, and I still cannot believe how badly it performed. For much of the seventies and eighties, Verset, along with Clape, produced reference point Cornas (I was an enthusiastic purchaser and drinker of his wines), but he appears to have lost the magic touch as we end the twentieth century. The 1996 Cornas, tasted twice from bottle, revealed an acidic, old, musty oak component that dominated the wine's otherwise impressive fruit. The wine's funky, unclean wood character permeated what would have been an admirable flavor component. It is with considerable regret that I report on this wine given the many fine vintages I have purchased and consumed of Verset's Cornas. Notes such as this are among the most lamentable aspects of my job. Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel (510) 524-1524
Good ruby-red. Tight, high-pitched aromas of black cherry, dark chocolate and herbs; distinctly cooler than the Verset's '97 Cornas. Lean and even a bit stunted on the palate, with medicinal black cherry, licorice and herbal flavors. Rather drying tannins. A Cornas of modest ripeness and concentration.