Cornas Vieilles Fontaines, Domaine Alain Voge 1999

Inky/purple-colored, with high acidity as well as tannin, the closed 1999 Cornas Vieilles Fontaines exhibits enormous concentration, density, and richness, but patience will be a virtue. This 1999 possesses everything one expects of a full-throttle Cornas - depth, power, virility, abundant blackberry and cassis fruit, and loads of structure and muscle. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2015.

Bottled the day before my visit. Full bright ruby. High-pitched, very pure aromas of blackberry, blueberry, licorice and flowers; showing less oak today than the Vieilles Vignes. Strong, precise flavors of cassis and blackberry, complicated by hints of meat and tapenade. Very dense wine with a firmer tannic spine than the 2000. But distinctly tough today, and in need of several years of bottle aging.