Briary and slightly herbal up front, balanced by hints of vanilla and cedar, the 2019 Cornas Arenes Sauvages is full-bodied, with layers of dusty tannins buffered by deep purple fruit, finishing with expansive flavors and ample length.

A parcel selection based on vine age and site, more than a third of the 2018 Cornas Arenes Sauvages spent time in new pièces, while another one-fourth went into well-seasoned 400-liter barrels. The result is a medium to full-bodied wine that balances creamy, vanillin influence against purity and crushed-stone nuance. Some cracked pepper and licorice notes creep in alongside blueberry and cassis, while the wine's texture is smooth and supple, with a dusting of ripe tannins on the long finish.

A notch better than the Grand Classique, the 2017 Cornas Arenes Sauvages is more fruit-driven, with bold cassis and blueberry framed by oak-derived hints of mocha. Medium to full-bodied, it's concentrated and silky, with meaty notes on the lingering finish. It warrants a year or two of cellaring, then should drink well for a decade.

Showing more obvious fruit than the Grand Classique, the 2015 Cornas Arenes Sauvages takes blueberries and cherries, frames them with hints of cedar and leather and delivers them in a full-bodied format. It's almost creamy in texture, with a long, supple finish.

Tasted out of barrel, the 2014 Cornas Arenes Sauvages is impressive. Finishing malolactic in barrel and aged in a combination of new and used barrels, it gives up notions of graphite, lead pencil, smoked meats and assorted dark fruits. Medium to full-bodied, rich, nicely concentrated (especially in this vintage, which yielded mostly forward, charming wines) and textured, it should be an outstanding wine and have a decade of longevity.