2009 Cornas Champelrose

Inky purple. Complex, expansive bouquet of dark berry preserves, smoky minerals and spicy vanillin oak. The palate offers concentrated blackberry and boysenberry flavors and impressive back-end mineral lift. Gentle tannins add shape to the very long, sweet, penetrating finish. This wine will be drinkable soon but has the depth and balance to age.

The 2009 Cornas Champelrose, which I loved last year, has closed down somewhat, but still reveals extraordinary minerality, a dense purple color, and more new oak than I remember from barrel. It is clearly the most modern-styled wine from Courbis, with huge power, richness and intensity. Give it 3-4 years of cellaring and drink it over the following two decades. Two brilliant vintages from Domaine Courbis include the more forward 2009s and the equally fine 2010s, which will require considerable patience. The 2010s have slightly higher acids, which tends to make the tannins more noticeable, but they are also extremely concentrated, with massive palate impressions. It is often said that Cornas is made for those with 19th century palates, but Courbis has tamed the uncivilized ruggedness and wilder aspects of Cornas, resulting in huge wines, but undeniably Cornas. Importer: Russell Herman, Berkeley Heights, NJ; tel. (908) 771-9082

Quite tightly formed berry and plum aromas. Bitter espresso, dark sweet fruit and black olive notes. Young stubbly tannins. A note of char, making the finish a little harsh and bitter. (TC)