2020 Guillaume Gilles Cornas

96pts Josh Raynolds, Vinous

Vivid purple. Deeply pitched cherry, dark berry preserve and licorice aromas pick up smoky mineral, olive and floral notes with air. Chewy and penetrating on the palate, offering concentrated, mineral-drenched bitter cherry, blackberry, fruitcake and floral pastille flavors that spread out steadily and turn sweeter with air. Shows solid grip and resonating minerality on a wonderfully long, smoky finish that echoes the dark berry and licorice notes. This is all Chaillot fruit, Gilles told me.

Estate Summary

Guillaume Gilles has emerged as one of the brightest lights of the current generation of Cornas winemakers. Gilles wines have been moving from strength to strength since he took over the Robert Michel cellar in 2006, when Michel officially retired. All whole clusters are employed here, and no new oak comes into play. Gilles is highly respected by his fellow growers, including those who are extremely grudging with compliments, for his attention to vines. The Cornas R Les Rieux is quite a unique and fascinating example of Cornas. From vines planted at extremely high altitudes, it shows the minerality, spiciness and vibrant personality of a wine from further north, even much further north, as in Burgundy.