Notes from a blind tasting, theme: Cornas.
2016 Paul Jaboulet Aîné St. Péray Les Sauvagères – this starter wine was Marsanne based, light in colour and although the nose was a tad reticent until it warmed slightly, it then showed some decent stone fruit and lemon elements. In the mouth, a hit of acid up from and then sweetness with a medium long finish. Interestingly, Parker, in his Rhone book stated that St-Peray was the ‘Jurassic Park of the Rhone’ and that its output consisted of ‘dull still wines and dull sparkling wines and that there was not future for it. I’d say that his prediction was proven wrong.
2017 Domaine Vincent Paris Vin de Pays Granit Blanc – as my assignment for the tasting was simply Cornas, and this wine was made in Cornas by a Cornas producer, it qualified even though it has to be labeled a Vin de Pays. Viognier and Roussanne. It had pear and hints of lilac in the nose, a smooth middle and was balanced and tasty.
1999 Jean-Luc Colombo Cornas Les Mejeans – dark wine with bricky edges, a bit of animal in the nose, and some nice raspberry. Sweet entry good balancing acidity and at or perhaps slightly past peak.
1999 Jean-Luc Colombo Cornas Les Ruchets – when I saw the previous wine, I put my wine next. Darker, with a slight funk, lots of raspberry and some black olives and a hint of bacon in the nose, and more stuffing and better length than the Mejeans, but both were enjoyable.
2013 Jean-Luc Colombo Cornas La Louvée – more modern style with a sweet berry nose, a tad ripe and roasty, very dark colour and plenty of soft tannin – obviously ‘new style’ as traditional Cornas would have been untouchable at this age. Decent now, but I much preferred the older wines.
2015 Vincent Paris Granit 60 Cornas Vieilles Vignes – an up and coming vintner, he is the nephew of Robert Michel, one of the best producers in the area (along with Clape). He arranged a rental of his best vineyards to Vincent when he retired. This wine is very dark and shows a nose that opened to spicy dark cherry aromas. Tons of relatively soft tannin but drinkable now. I shall be letting my stash rest for a few years before starting in on it.
2013 Domaine Vincent Paris Cornas Granit 30 – bright garnet colour with a nose of raspberry with hints of anise. Elegant (for a Cornas) with good length. Drinks well now, but don’t make the mistake of drinking just yet!
2010 Delas Frères Cornas Chante-Perdrix – dark wine with an interesting nose that included both black olive and caramel. On palate, well balanced but with very light dill and sour notes, but not in a bad way. Drinks nicely now.
2015 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Cornas Les Grandes Terrasses – wow! Youth plundered early! An oddly rubbery nose that resolved as wet earth and currant. Way early for this wine – although it had excellent concentration, it showed no flavour differentiation and needs maybe a decade to get to the point where it develops some subtlety and complexity.
Finally, the cheese wine:
1992 Quinta do Vesuvio Port – my first look at this wine as I figured it was time to assess it for aging. Dark wine with clear edges, a ripe sweet nose, a tad spirity at this point and on the sweet side, but good balancing acidity. Quite good. I shall not open another bottle for maybe five years or so. Difficult vintage with close to drought conditions. Decanted for three hours. I like to leave some in the decanter to take another look the next day but the greedy buggers drank it all up when my back was turned!