2016 Cornas La Geynale

Opaque ruby. A deeply perfumed bouquet evokes ripe cherry and black currant, along with suggestions of smoky bacon, tobacco and incense. Seamless and broad on the palate, offering sweet black and blue fruit preserve and floral pastille flavors given spine by a core of juicy acidity. Rich yet energetic in style, displaying youthfully gripping tannins and impressive finishing clarity and persistence. This is the only wine from the Paris cellar to be made entirely with whole clusters. (JR)

The 2016 Cornas Geynale comes all from a single vineyard (the Geynale lieu-dit) and is never destemmed. It has rockingly old school notes of currants, cedarwood, ground pepper, and cured meats. Deep, rich, layered, beautifully textured on the palate, it's just loaded with charm, has terrific balance, no hard edges, and a big finish. It's surprisingly accessible (this cuvée almost always requires short-term cellaring) but is going to cruise for two decades on its balance. It’s important to understand the three Cornas cuvées from the young Vincent Paris. The Granite 30 is a younger vine cuvée from less steep hillside parcels (roughly 30 degrees), and it’s mostly destemmed and brought up in a mix of mostly used barrels. There are about 1,000 cases produced. The Granite 60 comes from older vines in the Patou, Les Mazards and Sauman lieux-dits, and steep slopes (60 degrees, which is where the cuvée gets its name). This cuvée sees some stem inclusion and a similar time in mostly used barrels. This cuvée is normally a solid step up in depth and quality over the Granite 30. Roughly 400 cases is a normal production level for this release. Lastly, the La Geynale comes from the oldest vines of the estate, which were planted in 1910 and are located in the Geynale and Reynard lieux-dit. This cuvée sees very little destemming and is aged in, again, mostly neutral barrels. This is always the most backward, classically styled release in the lineup and takes a few years to integrate its stems. Nevertheless, it’s an incredible Cornas.

(vines over 100 years old vines and no new oak) Brilliant purple. A complex, expansive bouquet evokes fresh black and blue fruits, Asian spices, incense, smoky minerals and olive paste. Deeply concentrated yet lively boysenberry, cherry pie, spicecake and bitter chocolate flavors are underscored by a building mineral quality. Shows a compelling blend of depth and litheness and finishes on a youthfully tannic note, displaying remarkable clarity and insistent mineral character. I don't think I have ever tasted as profound a wine as this one from Vincent Paris, who seems to be one of the most underrated and under-the-radar producers in the northern Rhône.