The 2010 Cornas Granite 60 Vieilles Vignes is even denser, revealing a black/purple color, abundant notes of blackberry fruit and hints of smoke, camphor, incense and crushed rocks. The minerality is obvious in this big, fruity, full-bodied, back-busting wine. Give it 7-8 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 25 years. (Not yet released)While the 2009s are softer and more accessible (because of lower acids and more opulent textures), they are extremely large-scaled, substantial reds that will benefit from a few more years of cellaring.Importer: A Thomas Calder Selection (various importers). Paris fax: 011 33 1 46 45 15 29

The 2010 Cornas Granite 60 Vieilles Vignes may be the greatest Cornas I have tasted from Vincent Paris. Full-bodied and rich with striking intensity, it possesses gorgeous floral notes intermixed with notions of powdered rock, blue and black fruits, and acacia flowers. Dense, full-bodied, multilayered and multidimensional, this staggeringly great Cornas needs 3-4 years of cellaring and should keep for 25 years thereafter. Vincent Paris is a child of Cornas and his biodynamically run estate now encompasses around 17-18 acres, from which he fashions three remarkable cuvees, the Granite 30, Granite 60 Vieilles Vignes and an offering from the well-known parcel of La Geynale. Paris has enjoyed three consecutive remarkable vintages (as have a number of the finest Cornas producers), 2009, 2010 and 2011. The Granite 30 generally comes from the lower hillside parcels of a lieu-dit called Mazards with soils that are mostly decomposed granite. These are also his youngest vines. You would never know that by tasting what Paris has produced in 2011 and 2010. The Granite 60 comes from three separate parcels of a lieu-dit called Sauman, which is opposite of another famous lieu-dit called Reynard. As Paris says, this is an area that gives more body as well as freshness than other terroirs in Cornas. Vines planted in these three parcels are 20, 60 and 100 years of age. Importer: A Thomas Calder Selection (various importers). Paris fax: 011 33 1 46 45 15 29