Wine Advisor
Vincent Paris, Cornas La Geynale 2020
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski
Ancient vines, a near-perfect southern exposition and Paris's genius touch combine in his 2020 Cornas la Geynale, which merits serious consideration as wine of the vintage within the tiny Cornas appellation. Spectacular aromas of blueberries and cassis lead the way, garnished by hints of sage, bay leaf, licorice and crushed stone. Full-bodied and ripe, it's nevertheless neither overly heavy nor rich, with an intriguing sense of weightlessness that easily carries that swirl of flavors through the long, silky finish.
Reviewed by: Josh Raynolds
Saturated ruby. A powerfully scented bouquet evokes ripe, spice-accented black and blue fruits, potpourri and exotic spices, along with savory olive paste, botanical herbs and smoked meat notes. Shows superb clarity, energy and depth to its sappy cassis, bitter cherry, licorice and candied violet flavors, which becomes livelier as the wine gains air. Dusty tannins build through a wonderfully long, smoky and mineral-driven finish that strongly echoes the spice and floral notes.
About the Producer
Domaine Vincent Paris is a relatively new but well-respected wine producer based in Cornas in the Rhône valley region of southeast France. The domaine specialises in Syrah wines from both the Cornas region itself and neighboring appellations. The area is traditionally known for rustic expressions of this grape, but Paris' wines attract acclaim for their combination of intensity and freshness. The first Vincent Paris wine was released in 1997 and he farms around 17 hectares (42 acres) of vineyards at various points along the Cornas slope and into Saint-Joseph. The entry-level wine is the Granit 30, produced from younger vines on gentler granite slopes – though sites on 30-degree inclines are still hard to cultivate. The Granit 60 is sourced from precipitous terraced and inclined (on slopes ranging up to 60-degrees) plots in the Patou, Les Mazards and Saumon sites in Cornas. The vines for the latter cuvée range from 40-100 years old. The range-topping La Geynale cuvée is based a century-old, one-hectare (2.5-acre) lieu-dit of the same name on a south-facing granite-based slope at the foot of the Reynard vineyard. The domaine also produces a white Côtes du Rhône combining Viognier and Roussanne from a small hilltop parcel within the (red wine-only) Cornas boundaries. A Saint-Joseph Syrah is also made from a single plot near Ardoix.
