Expert Reviews
James Suckling 98+ Points | Plenty of sexy graphite and dark stony aromas cast across showy dark fruits seen here, all presented in a vibrant and seductive form. Plenty of spices and fragrant lift, too. The palate is astonishingly rich, layered and seamlessly complete. The tannins are ...Show More >
Expert Reviews
James Suckling 98+ Points | Plenty of sexy graphite and dark stony aromas cast across showy dark fruits seen here, all presented in a vibrant and seductive form. Plenty of spices and fragrant lift, too. The palate is astonishingly rich, layered and seamlessly complete. The tannins are dense, compressed and commanding, whereas the tension is entrancing. Flavors run from red to darker fruits. The finish is already long and majestic. Exceptional wine. Barrel sample. (2017).
Decanter 97 Points | Low yields of just 27hl/ha this year due to coulure, instead of a more normal 37hl/ha - so there might be no 2017 Renaissance produced. A tasting of the main constituent parts from barrel suggests a potent, ripe, tannic style. The young Reynards is rich in fruit with good acidity, if high in alcohol; Sabarotte is resolutely Cornas: impenetrable, resinous, firm and saline; Petit Côte and La Côte are fleshy and rich; the older Reynards admirably complete, with a massive, ripe tannic load. Pierre compares it to the 2009, albeit more structured. You'll need to keep this for a while, but it will be rewarding when finally ready. (2017).
Jeb Dunnuck 95+ Points | Lastly, the 2017 Cornas showed incredibly well. A great vintage for the Northern Rhône, it has textbook aromas and flavors. Due to yields, no Renaissance cuvée was produced, so readers need to grab bottles of this while they can. Revealing a deep purple color as well a sweet nose of dark fruits, currants, ground pepper, bloody meat, and iron, the 2017 hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a powerful, dense mid-palate, huge minerality, and enough tannins to warrant 7-8 years of bottle age. (2017).
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