More earthy and slightly straightforward, the 2011 Cornas Village shows a floral-tinged bouquet of black and blue fruits, damp earth and raw meat, as well as medium-bodied richness and depth on the palate. Enjoy it over the coming 5-7 years.
Yves releases two cuvees from Cornas, and I found the quality consistent in 2012, yet preferred the Vires release by a fair margin in 2011. There are three Saint Joseph cuvees in red: the Les Pierres Seches, which comes from sand and granite soils around the town of Chavanay; the L'Amarybelle, which comes from high density, terraced plantings of older vines; and lastly, the Les Serines, which comes from the oldest vines of the estate and is the only cuvee to see new oak.
Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchant Ltd., Pine Plains, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990