Aaah, who doesn’t love Paris. We also love Vincent Paris, equally, thanks to this KILLER juice!

Paris who?

“An up and coming superstar of Cornas… They’re some of the top wines in the appellation and readers need to get on this young vigneron’s bandwagon!” – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

Cornas is a gem of a commune at the Southern tip of the Northern Rhône. Your average Cornas prices keep creeping up, making terrific deals from these parts rarer and rarer. Especially from a grower like Paris with a following who consistently stacks up hefty scores. Whether you collect or savor them, the beauty of these wines is that there simply are no other regions or styles comparable. Terroir rules.

A striking appearance, deep purple-colored with a black cherry gloss on the slim rim. Haunting aromatics of blackcurrants, olive tapenade, and cured meats adorn the nose. The palate is loaded with red plums, violets, black pepper, and a hint of bacon fat. Vividly textured, juicy, supple, and forward, lasting close to a minute on the refreshing finish. Pair this irresistible Frenchie with braised beef or chicken, roast lamb, duck confit, cheese and charcuterie, the possibilities are endless!

Antonio Galloni’s Vinous also raves about Paris: “The wines at this Domaine, established in 1997, strike a balance between modern and traditional styles, showing freshness and forward fruit, with well-managed tannins and oak, as no new barrels are used…” AND points out their affordability “in the context of high-end wines of the region, amazing value relative to most of its peers, at least for now.”

But wait, that’s before our slashing it almost by 40% and slipping it under $30 somehow. Took a lot of finagling to convince the importer to let go of this one, by the time they succumbed it was a small lot sadly, so gone when gone…

92-94 Points – Jeb Dunnuck

“The wines from the young Vincent Paris (who is now co-president of the Cornas Appellation) continue to get better and better every year. The 2018 Cornas Granit 30 comes from slightly younger vines and vineyards further down on the slope, closer to the village. Completely destemmed and brought up in used barrels, it offers a complex bouquet of blue fruits, lavender, violets, and sweet incense as well as a medium to full-bodied, rounded, sexy style on the palate that carries lots of sweet fruit that almost hides sound underlying structure.”

93+ Points – Antonio Galloni’s Vinous

“Vincent Paris’s wines, which are always bottled on the relatively early side, are deceptively forward on release (except for the La Geynale) but I have had great luck holding on to them, even from generally less age-worthy vintages like 2012 and 2011. Paris described 2018 as ‘more classic in style than 2017, but it was still a hot and mostly dry year, so the wines are definitely on the concentrated side and the low yields (which were exacerbated by mildew during the summer, thanks to lots of rain in June) increase that impression, but they aren’t roasted at all.’ He also pointed out that, at least in Cornas, ‘the tannins are finer than you would expect from a hot and dry year, so they have a surprising degree of elegance.’ Indeed, I found the 2018s here to show plenty of juicy, energetic berry fruit, good spines of acidity and discreet tannins that are present but well-integrated. The La Geynale, which is always made entirely with whole clusters, is, as usual, an exception. It deserves patience, for sure, and Paris advises to leave it alone ‘for at least another seven or eight years, at a minimum.’ That’s good advice that I’d take to the bank, or the cellar. Given Paris’s connection to his uncle, the retired and semi-legendary Robert Michel, from whom he acquired many of his holdings, famously the La Geynale, many people will no doubt compare his wines to those that Michel made. Paris’s wines are quite different, with more polish and greater immediate appeal, but no new oak is used here, and while the wines are indeed fruit-driven, they are by no means made in an international style. Opaque ruby. Fresh blackberry and cherry scents, along with suggestions of baking spices, olive and pungent flowers. Appealingly sweet black and blue fruit flavors gain energy and spiciness with air while a smoky mineral element adds back-end cut. Even tannins add gentle grip to an impressively long, floral-tinged finish that leaves a spicy note behind. Drink 2023-2031.”