Jean-Luc Colombo : Les Ruchets 2012

Bramble-edged and lively, showing enticing cassis, anise and blackberry coulis flavors liberally laced with dark olive and singed bay leaf notes. The smoldering charcoal edge is buried on the finish. Needs some time to sort itself out, but this remains rock-solid. Best from 2017 through 2024. 820 cases made.

Dark crimson. More concentrated than La Louvée. Dense and drier than Colombo's other cuvées. Muscular. But not too hot. Pretty impressive. (JR)

Glass-staining purple. Deeply perfumed aromas of blackberry, blueberry, violet pastille and smoky minerals, with hints of pipe tobacco and black cardamom in the background. Seamless and appealingly sweet, offering energetic dark berry, vanilla and cola flavors, with a touch of star anise on the back half. Gains richness and spiciness with air and finishes on a smoky note, with youthfully firm tannins adding shape.

My favorite of the 2012 Cornas, the 2012 Cornas les Ruchets comes from older vines in the Chaillot lieu-dit and sees roughly 20% of the blend in new barrels. It's a beautiful effort that exhibits lots of gamey meat, olive, spring flowers and chocolate-laced dark fruits. Medium to full-bodied, textured and hedonistic, it shows the 2012 vintage nicely and should be consumed over the coming decade.