Cornas La Geynale, Domaine Vincent Paris 2012

My favorite of the trio (but not by much), the 2012 Cornas la Geynale normally is not destemmed, but in this vintage, no stems were used. Coming from a single plot of 100-year-old vines near the bottom of the famed Reynard lieu-dit and aged 18 months in older barrels, it’s a rock-star Cornas that exhibits a black/purple color to go with a huge bouquet of pepper, meat juice, black currants, wild herbs and crushed rock. Fabulously concentrated, full-bodied, rich and with stunning purity, it will need short-term cellaring and keep for 15-20 years.

Remarkably fragrant. Aromatic, delicately floral dark fruit. Expressive and inviting. Then the sort of dry tannins that are so perfect in combination with this expressive fruit – dry, very very fine, bringing something close to austerity to the fruit but resulting in real elegance and refinement. Overall effect right now is dry but not at all drying. GV (JH)