2017 Cornas Granit 30

Spice-accented scents of black raspberry, cherry and cracked pepper, along with a slowly emerging floral nuance. Appealingly sweet and lively on the palate, showing spicy lift and sharp focus to its sappy red/dark berry flavors, which steadily deepen on the back half. Finishes long, smooth and spicy, with solid, mineral thrust, a repeating cracked pepper note and smooth, even tannins.

The 2017 Cornas Granit 30 shows a fresher, elegant, polished style as well as perfumed notes of black raspberries, crème de cassis, crushed violets, and hints of bouquet garni. Floral, elegant, and medium-bodied, it's just a pretty, elegant, juicy wine that's going to benefit from short-term cellaring and drink nicely for a decade. 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.

The 2017 Cornas Granit 30 features flattering aromas of cracked pepper, ground clove, fresh raspberries and crushed stone. But while the wine is full-bodied, it comes across as slightly austere and lacking mid-palate texture, before finishing long, with hints of Berry Zinger tea.