2001 Cornas La Louvee

Bright medium ruby. Rather oaky aromas of cassis, black raspberry and chocolate; there's something a bit claret-like that goes beyond the shape of the bottle. Firmly built and quite youthfully restrained, with the wine's substantial oak element currently drying the palate (this was also oaky from barrel but considerably rounder and sweeter). Finishes with Cornas-typical notes of pepper and black olive.

As always, the top cuvee is the Cornas La Louvee. The 2001 boasts the most saturated purple color in addition to a flamboyant nose of black fruits mixed with toasty new oak. This progressively-styled Cornas borders on being international, but there is plenty of the meaty/ bloody/grilled steak taste that comes from Cornas’ sun-scorched terroir. Deep, full, and masculine, with well-integrated tannin as well as a “reasonably elegant” personality, this classic 2001 should be at its finest between 2006-2015. The irrefutable modernist of the Rhone Valley, the well-known oenologist Jean-Luc Colombo continues to fine tune his winemaking. His barrel-aged Cornas cuvees are among the most progressively made offerings of the appellation, revealing no rusticity and supple tannin. Colombo practices cold soaks as well as other cutting edge techniques (i.e., micro-oxygenation) in order to subdue the substantial tannins of Cornas. Importer: Palm Bay International, Port Washington, NY; tel. (516) 802-4700.

(90% new oak) Saturated red-ruby. Deeply pitched aromas of black raspberry, bitter chocolate and oak spice. Fat, full and sweet, with dark fruit, mineral and herbal flavors. Rounder, broader and suppler than the Terres Brulees but at the same time more minerally; the oak element is rather pronounced but also serves to sweeten the wine. Here the tannins are ripe and smooth, and the finishing flavors spread over the palate and linger. A very good showing today.