2016 Cornas Vielles Fontaines

Dark purple. Deep-pitched cassis, blueberry, candied licorice and violet aromas are complicated by olive and licorice nuances. Broad and expansive on the palate, offering deeply concentrated black and blue fruit liqueur, spicecake and floral pastille flavors and an incense-tinged flourish of smoky minerals. Becomes sweeter and more energetic with air and finishes extremely long and spicy, with slow-building tannins and lingering florality.

Beautiful and certainly in its prime drinking window, the 2016 Cornas Les Vieilles Fontaines offers ripe darker berries, violets, orange blossom, and bouquet garni. It's incredibly well-balanced, with a fine, graceful mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, and outstanding length. This is largely about finesse and elegance without sacrificing classic Cornas character, and it has another 10-15 years of prime drinking. Drink 2026-2040. This was another terrific lineup from Alain Voge. The 2023s here are rock solid, with good ripeness and lifted, exotic profiles. The 2024s shine in this vintage, and while it was challenging, there's plenty to like in the releases here.

Vivid purple. A highly complex bouquet evokes ripe blue fruits, Moroccan spices, violet and olive, along with a vibrant mineral nuance. Stains the palate with sweet black and blue fruit flavors that are given spine and lift by a core of juicy acidity and a strong jolt of cracked pepper. Becomes livelier with aeration and finishes extremely long and sweet, with smooth tannins making a late appearance.