Cornas La Geynale 2019

VINCENT PARIS

Cornas La Geynale
2019

Country
France
Regulated designation
Appellation origine controlée (AOC)
Region
Rhône Valley
Subregion
Northern Rhone
Appellation
Cornas
Varietal(s)
Syrah
Colour
Red
Sugar
Dry
Producer's website
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About this winery

Vincent Paris has rapidly ascended to become one of the stars of the tiny Cornas appellation. Blessed with a collection of small parcel, old vine vineyards (some nearly 100 years of age) which he inherited from his grandfather, Vincent has turned out some of the most exciting wines in the region in the past decade. The praise for Paris’ wines is almost universal, drawing consistently top marks from the Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator and Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar. His wines...

See the VINCENT PARIS detail page for more information on this brand

Product notes

The Cornas La Geynale comes from my best plots, located on the best terroir of the appellation, the Reynard district. In this district, one hillside stands out, La Geynale. These are century-old vines on steep slopes facing due south, all the fundamental elements to make an exceptional wine, We obtain a wine with a unique character, of great complexity, with a strong tannic but silky presence, powerful and suave flavors and an endless length in the mouth.

Production notes

Starts with a week of cold maceration, then the fermentation starts naturally. The tank is raised morning and evening, the use of carbon dioxide reduces the SO2 input. After 4 weeks the wine is racked and the marc pressed; Drip and press juices are assembled. A first settling removes the coarse lees. The wine is then aged for 1 year in oak barrels that are 1 to 8 years old, there are no new barrels to preserve the flavors of the terroir. When bottling, the wine is fined to clarify and refine it. The production is from 4 to 5000 bottles per year.

Tasting notes

This cuvée has a black color and a nose of great complexity. There are black fruits and spices. In the mouth we find the richness of black fruits embellished with this minerality which gives the wine a magical balance. The wine is dense, rich, powerful, complex while remaining fresh and the tannins, although still present, are perfectly in harmony.

Press reviews

Decanter

- 97 points -

Matt Walls, September 2019 (Vintage 2018)

This is intense with mouthcoating, ripe tannins that turn your mouth inside out but with remarkably fresh and vibrant smashed blackberry fruit underneath and a distinct juniper and oregano vein to the aromatics. It has an exceptional length with extraordinary vibrancy and terroir expression. A force of nature that’s still very defined and focussed despite the power and ripeness of the fruit. High alcohol this year, high everything – this is a wine that consumes you, rather than the other way around. From 100-year-old vines, no destemming, five-day cold maceration, then fermented with wild yeasts. Twice daily remontage, no punching down, then aged for 16 months in 2 to 8-year-old barriques. Grown on the granite slopes of lieu-dit La Geynale, one of the finest of the appellation.

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James Suckling

- 97 points -

#60 Top 100 Wines of France

November 2023 (Vintage 2021)

Expressive nose of blackberries, cassis, black pepper, smoke and sweet spices. Medium body with finely grained tannins and fresh acidity. Impressive volume on the mid-palate with a grainy texture. Balanced with a restrained power. It’s concentrated and well-rounded. Long and focused finish with peppery notes. A reference for the appellation in this fresher vintage.

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Decanter

- 96 points -

Matt Walls, September 2022 (Vintage 2021)

A gorgeous nose, fresh, precise and surprisingly aromatic for a Cornas. The smoky oak and peppery Syrah spice combine well. Not massive, this is actually quite lean and precise, but there’s a great sense of energy and focus. The tannins are intense, quite sharp and bony, but should round out in time. The acidity is really quite intense, this will always be a brisk, athletic Cornas, but should make some complex old bones. Fairly long finish. Whole-bunch fermented from 100-year-old vines grown in Reynard. Aged in used barrels, no new oak. 5,000 bottles made.

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Vinous

- 95 points -

Josh Raynolds, April 2020 (Vintage 2018)

Opaque ruby. Highly aromatic aromas of ripe black and blue fruits, incense, exotic spices, violet and a hint of olive. Densely packed and lively on the palate, offering intense dark berry liqueur, floral pastille and salty olive flavors, a hint of smoky minerality and building spiciness. Finishes chewy, focused and extremely long, with mounting tannins lending shape and grip to vivid dark fruit and floral notes.

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Vinous

(95-97) POINTS

May 2020

Sharply delineated dark fruit, exotic spice, licorice, olive paste, bacon fat and succulent floral qualities on the hugely perfumed nose. Stains the palate with alluringly sweet, densely packed, mineral-accented blueberry, cherry preserve, fruitcake and violet pastille flavors that deliver a suave blend of richness and energy. The floral and mineral notes carry emphatically through a strikingly long, youthfully tannic finish that shows superb clarity and energetic drive.

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