2010 Cornas Les Eygats

Flirting with perfection, the 2010 Cornas Les Eygats boasts a fabulous bouquet of incense, subtle smoke, black truffles, pen ink, blackberries and cassis. Massive with sweet tannin as well as an unreal skyscraper-like texture across the mid-palate, this broad, savory, classic Cornas should drink well for 25+ years. One of the most quality conscious estates in the Northern Rhone, Domaine Courbis produces a trio of vineyard designated Cornas as well as two cuvees of impressive St.-Joseph. After the brilliant success of their 2009 vintage, I thought it would be difficult for this estate to equal what they achieved, but the 2010s are all stunning, and the 2011s are not far behind. The Courbis family has nearly 48 acres in St.-Joseph and another 20 in Cornas, making them a relatively impressive family-owned estate. The Cornas vineyards are planted in decomposed granite soils with little top soil. The Cornas Les Eygats emerges from what the Courbis brothers feel is their greatest micro-climate, from a terraced vineyard composed of broken granite, planted at an altitude of 250 meters. Importer: Russell Herman, Berkeley Heights, NJ; tel. (908) 771-9082

Vivid purple. Complex, highly scented bouquet of black raspberry, cherry-cola and candied licorice. Sappy, spicy, deeply pitched dark fruit flavors are complemented by sweet tobacco and candied flowers. Shows impressive energy on the finish, which lingers with excellent tenacity and alluring sweetness.