M. Chapoutier, Cornas, Les Arenes

Deep ruby Color. Vibrant black fruits with smoke, pepper on the nose. Med acidity, full body, high alcohol, Med+ intensity, Long finish. Very silky tannins, great structure, still feels young and vibrant. Excellent wine and shows that Cornas is a great village to explore. The 2011 can be kept a couple of years more but drinks perfectly now. Highly recommend.

Dark and only slightly translucent black-red cherry color. Somewhat stuffy and unexpressive nose with restrained aromas of savory dark-toned oak spice, some plummy fruit and a hint of roasted meat tones. The wine is full-bodied, pretty tannic and quite tough on the palate with relatively dull and restrained flavors of dark-toned fruits, brooding and quite toasty oak spice, some chocolatey character, a hint of dark cherry and a touch of peppery spice. Medium-to-moderate in acidity. The finish is medium in …

Medium ruby. Initially heavily reductive, needs prolonged aeration. After that, it still needs time to breath and unfold its delicate and complex nature. Spicy nose of mostly red fruit, floral and herbal scents. Firm tannins of excellent quality, bright fruit, medium to high acidity and a long aftertaste. Quite young but already enjoyable if decanted for 2 to 3 hours. Archetypical northern Rhone red.

Dark, very lightly translucent black-red cherry color. Brooding and slightly dusty nose with lots of earthy tones, ripe blackberry-driven fruit, peppery spice, some cocoa oak notes, a little smoke and hints of sous-bois and even a whiff of barnyard. Full-bodied and textural on the palate with moderate acidity and moderate, firm but ripe and quite friendly tannins. Spicy and savory flavors of black pepper, blackberry-driven fruit notes, some dark cherry, savory touches of spicy oak, a little bitterness and a …