Exhibiting a denser purple color as well as more blackberry, coffee, tar, fig, and forest floor notes is the 2007 Cornas Les Eygats. It is a denser effort with more floral notes, blacker fruit, and a more brooding personality. (Not yet released) Domaine Courbis appears to have an enlightened winemaking style, using some small oak casks and picking ripe fruit, but never losing the typicity one expects of these wines. Brothers Laurent and Dominique Courbis are avid believers in terroir, and the top cuvees are named after their respective vineyards. There are three vineyard designated wines from Cornas, all from well-known lieux-dits, that are more similar than dissimilar. The 2007s are lighter than the richer 2006s. 2006 is a strong vintage in Cornas, and Domaine Courbis has produced three excellent wines. Importer: Russell Herman, Berkeley Heights, NJ; tel. (908) 771-9082