2015 Alain Voge, Cornas, Les Vieilles Fontaines

Only produced in top vintages (this is the first since 2012), the 2015 Cornas Vieilles Fontaines comes from 80-year-old vines within the La Fontaine lieu-dit. It's a tough wine to evaluate at this stage, as it's quite closed and reticent on the nose, showing some crushed-stone notes and typical granite-based austerity, but on the palate it shows great purity of fruit and vigor. It's full-bodied but tight-laced, focused on driving through the long finish like a thoroughbred down the stretch. Give it at least 5 years in the cellar.

Bottled in November 2016. Intoxicating opulence on the nose. Compressed blackberry jus with gorgeous violet fragrance and punchy yet polished tannin. The nose is really something to behold – a profound, rich, expressive and classic style. (RH)