Cornas, St Joseph, Ardeche Blanc
Once the new kid on the block, Vincent Paris is now widely-regarded as among the great producers of the northern Rhone. He works the austere granite slope of Cornas; from some fabulous old vine parcels he inherited from his grandfather, he fashions a glorious set of wines that express the full gamut of the Syrah variety, from floral to savoury to herbal. 2018 continued the run of great vintages the region has enjoyed - a wet spring was followed by the swelteringly hot, dry summer, conditions that Syrah loves. The region escaped the attacks of mildew that plagued the southern Rhone, and turned in a crop of ripe, intense fruit.
Vincent's Granit 30 and 60 bottlings are numbered to reflect the age of the vines in the cuvee, so the Granit 30 comes from 30 year-old vines on the lowest part of the slope; it offers a perfumed wine full of dark fruit, spice and woodsmoke. The Granit 60 is a somewhat more brooding wine that will take a bit longer to open up; it comes from 2 specific lieu-dits (Sauman and Les Mazards) where the vines average 60 years old. La Geynale comes from a single plot where many of the vines are over 100 years old. It is intense, concentrated, graceful and perfumed.
Before global warming, the very top of the Cornas slope was considered too cold and exposed for viticulture. But Vincent spotted the change in the weather, and planted Roussanne and Viognier vines; now he produces a bright, floral white wine with a little bit of grip and voluptuousness. Almost nobody else in Cornas makes white wine; appellation rules do not even permit the word Cornas on a white wine, hence Ardèche Blanc. Vincent also makes a fine Saint-Joseph, from hillside vineyards located around the village of Ardoix - a juicy, relatively early drinking expression of Syrah, full of blueberry, olive and herb. /NT
Offered subject to confirmation; available Spring 2020
