Lastly, the tiny production 2020 Cornas Les Vieilles Fontaines comes from 80-year-old vines on granite soil. It's a more primordial effort, offering layers of black and blue fruits, rose petals, candied violets, bloody meat, and bouquet garni. Uber-rich, powerful, and massive, it has good acidity, plenty of tannins, and a great finish. It is not, however, anywhere close to ready to drink. Hide bottles for at least 4-5 years, and it should be long-lived if stored properly. There's a touch more volatile acidity here, so storage conditions will be critical.

By Jeb Dunnuck December 2022