Lastly, the flagship 2019 Cornas Les Vieilles Fontaines is a tiny selection from a single parcel of old vines that’s still resting in barrel (about 15-20% new). It brings more opulence and decadence in both its aromas and flavors, offering a monster array of mulled black fruits, smoked game, licorice, ground pepper, leather, and bouquet garni. Young and primordial, this full-bodied, concentrated, blockbuster styled Cornas has building tannins, a round, expansive mid-palate, and one incredible finish. It's going to take a decade or so to shed its considerable baby fat, but it’s a heavenly wine in the making. Note, this cuvée was first produced in 1988 and is only made in exceptional years. It comes from a single parcel of granite soils and 80-year-old vines and is named after a spring (or fountain) located on the property. It is 70% destemmed and always sees a touch of new oak.

With violets and spice, lavender, mint, earth, cherries and berries, this is so Rhône. Impressive tannins pass smoothly but leave a long memory. The refreshing acidity lifts the wine at the end, enticing you for another sip. This dense Syrah shows the might and depth of Cornas and its great ageing potential. Drinking Window: 2023 - 2040
Nominated by Matt Walls
Tasted by: Vincenzo Arnese, Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, Amanda Barnes (at Decanter Tasting Suite, London, 01 Dec 2022)
Part of Wines of the Year 2022: top-scoring bottles

Opaque ruby. Powerful, spice- and mineral-accented black and blue fruit preserve scents show superb focus and pick up smoked meat, olive and potpourri nuances with air. Sappy, deeply concentrated and energetic as well, offering juicy, spice-driven cassis, blueberry, bitter cherry and floral pastille flavors that are firmed by a core of smoky minerality. Blends power and finesse with a sure hand and finishes extremely long and minerally, with steadily building tannins and resonating blue fruit and floral notes. Made with one-third whole clusters.

Salted licorice and crème de cassis mark the nose of the 2019 Cornas Vieilles Fontaines, another clear step up in the hierarchy of bottlings at Alain Voge. Produced from 80-year-old vines situated near a spring, which virtually prevents the vines from shutting down even during hot, dry years, the wine ages two years in 15% to 20% new French oak. Full-bodied, concentrated and rich, tannic but supple and loaded with aging potential, this is an extraordinary Cornas.