| Score: |
93 VM.
"Dark ruby. Spice-accented aromas of black raspberry, cherry and smoky minerals, along with emerging floral and cracked pepper nuances. Appealingly sweet and fleshy on the palate, offering juicy, spice-inflected black and blue fruit flavors that deepen through the back half. Finishes smooth and spicy, with a solid mineral thrust, well-judged tannins and resonating blue fruit character. Franck Balthazar is yet another tiny domaine in the region whose wines have become highly sought-after over the last decade; worldwide demand now far exceeds production. Predictably, market prices reflect this growth. Balthazar is a fastidious farmer and careful winemaker, which has earned him tremendous respect from his neighbors on the Cornas hill. All whole clusters are used here, no new oak, and as little sulfur as possible. If you ever encounter the unsulfured “Sans Soufre” Cornas bottlings in France, especially at any restaurants in the area, jump on them, as they are amazing but generally don’t hold up to extended shipping journeys. It’s a very strong case for the “drink local” argument. The 2020s have turned out fantastic, and Balthazar’s 2019s and 2018s belie the hot conditions of those years, except they do have a bit more tannic structure than I usually detect; however, it’s marginal and will likely allow the wines to age slower than usual." Josh Raynolds, Vinous.com, Dec 2022 |