Wines from a terroir vintage

A shy man with bold wines

The challenging, terroir vintage of 2014 is well represented in the wines of Vincent Paris. His vineyard sites have poor, thin soils with the rocky motherlode often exposed; and the vines dig into the granite for their nutrients and water reserves. The vigour of the vines is kept well in check with low yields and small, flavourful grapes. He is an immensely hard worker in the vineyard as the intensity and purity of his wines amply demonstrates. And he needed to be in 2014, when constant canopy management was an essential weapon in the struggle against hail and the cool season. He is also intelligent, with his farming and those low yields enabling a crucial early harvest.

By contrast, in the cellar the handling is minimal, as is the use of sulphur and all the barrels used, of whatever size, are between two and ten years old. Again, having worked so hard in the vineyards, the aim is to transmit both the purity of the fruit and the mineral character of the granite which is at their heart. The wines all show beautiful perfume and fine, supple tannins: classic, cool Syrah in civilised form.

The wines in 2014 will be drinkable relatively early for Cornas, with the Granit 30 and St Joseph very approachable soon, the Granit 60 repaying a little time in the cellar and La Geynale will give much pleasure over 10 to 15 years. /CW

Offered subject to remaining unsold for shipment 2016/17