Wine Advisor
Courbis, Cornas La Sabarotte 2003
View analysis
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Jeb Dunnuck
An impressive effort that’s still youthful and lively, the Courbis brothers’ 2003 Cornas La Sabarotte (which spent 18 months in 100% new French oak) offers knockout aromas and flavors of black cherry and blackcurrant fruit, new leather, charcoal and wild herbs. Medium to full-bodied, with fabulous concentration and depth, it still needs another year or two, and will drink nicely through 2028.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Structured, powerful, and backward is the 2003 Cornas La Sabarotte. An inky/blue/purple color is followed by a big, smoky, blackberry, and cassis-scented bouquet, huge body, massive concentration, and a spectacular finish. Give it 3-4 years of cellaring and consume it over the following 10-12 years. Courbis refused to acidify, permitting his tiny yields and extraordinary ripe fruit to make three sensational Cornas cuvees. As with most northern Rhone producers, production is off by 50-60%. However, assuming the producer did not panic and add excessive amounts of acid, what has been produced is unquestionably splendid. Importer: Russell Herman, Berkeley Heights, NJ; tel. (908) 771-9082
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The black-colored 2003 Cornas La Sabarotte may turn out to be one of the candidates for the Cornas of the vintage. A wine of remarkable intensity and richness, yet seamlessly put together, this full-bodied, superbly concentrated 2003 possesses amazing levels of smoky creme de cassis and blackberry fruit intermixed with new saddle leather, truffles, and iron shavings. This distinctive, textured, full-throttle Cornas should prove to be a wine for the ages. It should drink well young, yet last for 15-20 years or longer. Importer: Russell Herman, Berkeley Heights, NJ; tel. (908) 771-9082
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
(done entirely in new oak; this was racked in December of 2003 after the end of the malolactic fermentation but not since then) Saturated ruby-blue. Flamboyant, wild aromas of black raspberry, roasted meat, dark chocolate and nutty oak; slightly reduced. Then thick, sweet and downright sexy, with expressive flavors of black cherry, black raspberry and grilled meat. This shows the roasted side of the 2003 vintage, but in a positive way. A huge, deep Cornas that somehow avoids heaviness and finishes with big, chewy, thoroughly ripe tannins.
About the Producer
The Courbis family have been making wine from their cellars in Chateaubourg since 1587. Brothers Laurent and Dominique have taken over from their father, Maurice, and there is a real wind of change and optimism blowing at this estate. The Courbis brothers produce some of the most compelling examples of St. Joseph and Cornas being made today. They have successfully combined their long family experience with a modern style, and their achievement has earned them international recognition. The estate owns 33 hectares divided as follows: 8 hectares in Cornas; 5 hectares of St Joseph Blanc; 19 hectares of St Joseph Rouge and 1 hectare of Syrah Vin de Pays de l’Ardeche.
