2012 Cornas La Geynale

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. Dec 2014, www.robertparker.com