I tasted from several barrels destined for the 2018 Cornas. While they showed a spectrum of fruit flavors ranging from red currant to cassis, they all revealed ample concentration and depth framed by ripe, silky tannins.

Robert's 2017 Cornas is a medium to full-bodied wine loaded with blackberries, cassis and plums. Despite being ripe and approachable, there's a crispness and firmness to this that's classic Cornas, with crushed stone and seductive hints of licorice on the lingering finish. Tasted twice (once blind), with one bottle seeming plusher and more open than the other but generally consistent in terms of flavor profile.

Can a Cornas be too easy to drink? That's the only possible complaint with the 2016 Cornas from Stéphane Robert. Aromas of crushed stones, baking spices and red plums lead into a medium to full-bodied wine that's plump and silky on the palate, with a lingering berry-tea finish.

The fruit-forward 2015 Cornas is full-bodied, rich and dense, packed with cassis and plum and hints of cedar and vanilla. Extremely ripe, it comes close to crossing that line but shows no heat or dried-fruit characters. It should drink well relatively young.

Sporting a deep inky color, the 2014 Cornas (100% Syrah aged in three- to four-year-old barrels) is a supple, sexy 2014 that has terrific, complex notes of liquid blackberries, currants, scorched earth, peppered meat and wild herbs. Rich, textured and on the fuller side of medium-bodied, it has supple, ripe tannin, a focused and fresh style, as well as a great finish. Buy a case of this beauty and drink it over the coming decade.