2020 Cornas, Les Vieilles Vignes, Alain Voge, Rhône

A bigger, richer wine, the 2020 Cornas Les Vieilles Vignes offers blockbuster levels of black fruits as well as crushed violets, beef blood, and scorched earth-like aromas and flavors. Rich, concentrated, and powerful on the palate, it has a great mid-palate, ripe yet building tannins, and a great finish. As with all the top 2020s, it has a terrific thread of freshness and purity.

Deep colour to rim. Firm and solid with a sort of ferrous, dark-fruit expression. Layers of fruit on the palate with very fine but present tannins. Freshness and balance and drive on the finish. Should age.

The sample presented of Voge's 2020 Cornas Vieilles Vignes was reassuringly excellent, with gently lifted, floral scents of violets, cassis and crushed stone. Full-bodied, deep and powerful, concentrated and rich but still almost painfully unformed, this needs time in the cellar. It's a blend of several parcels, aged in barrel but with just 15% or so new oak.

Lifted blueberries, a light, easy-going fragrance and liquorice notes. This is surprisingly light-bodied for a Cornas, the ripe tannins come in on the finish, as does the acidity - the elements are there but they need time to come together. Fresh, not terribly dense or structured - at least for a Cornas - but good purity and shape. If this takes on weight in bottle it will be very good, so this score could end up being conservative.

Drink 2022 - 2028