2011 Cornas Vieilles Vignes
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Tasting notes
There was no Les Vieilles Fontaines bottled in 2011, so that fruit went into this bottling, along with several other parcels. At 10 years of age, this 2011 Cornas Vieilles Vignes is drinking well, a lovely, mature, balanced wine. Hints of leather and dried cherries appear on the nose, while the medium-bodied palate is silky and fresh, with a long finish of black olives and cured meat. Drink it over the next several years.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
More pretty and elegant than the '12, the 2011 Cornas Vieilles Vignes comes from a number of old-vine parcels and was aged in 15% new French oak. It has impressive black and blue fruits, pepper, violets and wild garrigue-like aromas and flavors to go with a full-bodied, pure, layered and sexy style on the palate. Drink it over the coming decade.
Inky ruby. Deep, powerful scents of blackberry and boysenberry preserves, cola, cured meat, licorice and allspice. Lush and creamy, offering sweet dark berry and cherry-cola flavors, with notes of violet pastille and cracked pepper adding complexity. Silky tannins frame the intense fruit and carry through the long, spicy finish.
Quite suppressed compared with their Les Chailles 2012. Firmer on the palate too, and overall more compact. There is a bit of Syrah floral scent, but this seems to be in a shutdown phase right now. (RH)