Cornas Les Ruchets

Inky violet color. Vibrant, smoke-tinged cherry and blackberry aromas are complemented by suggestions of black pepper, olive and licorice. Broad and energetic in the mouth, offering appealingly sweet and concentrated black and blue fruit, cola and spicecake flavors that steadily deepen through the back half. Delivers a solid, smoky punch on a strikingly long, smooth finish that's framed by smooth, well-knit tannins. Made from vines that are pushing 100 years of age; 20% new oak. -J.R.

Vinous - December 2022

Opaque ruby. Smoke- and spice-accented aromas of ripe dark berries and pungent flowers pick up vanilla and licorice nuances as the wine opens up. Plush, smoke- and spice-accented cassis and blackberry flavors stain the palate and are braced by a spine of juicy acidity. Becomes sweeter with air and shows a hint of cola on the wonderfully long, smoky finish, which features broad tannins and lingering florality. This fruit is sourced from a plot within the prime Chaillot lieu-dit. -J.R.

Vinous - December 2022

Brimming with ripe forest-berry aromas, but also notes of smoked bacon and wild herbs, this is a stunning Cornas that's highly structured with a very concentrated core, but also bright and elegant, major stony minerality driving the long, very focused finish.– J.S.

James Suckling - April 2022

I was impressed by the quality of the 2019 Cornas les Ruchets, which stands out for its concentration, richness and velvety texture. Full-bodied, it delivers layers of mulberry fruit and is tinged with hints of dark chocolate, black olives and licorice, yet offers a succulent, mouthwatering finish. - J.C.

Wine Advocate - January 2022

Sleek and polished, with a bold cascade of blackberry confit, singed garrigue and warm fig, this is delicious and opulent yet powered by a savory undercurrent. Offers charred cedar that adds depth and roundness to the palate, while the pull of salt and crushed iron offsets the silky, dense character. This has staying power. Best from 2025 through 2032. —K.B.

Wine Spectator - April 2023

This rolls through slowly but surely and is packed with dark currant and fig paste flavors, with dark olive, singed bay leaf and worn leather accents filling in through the finish, where a smoldering cast iron note can be found. Best from 2025 through 2040. —J.M.

Wine Spectator - February 2022

The bright red-fruit aromas of this beautifully elegant Cornas leap out of the glass at you. Somehow, a very suave and sensual wine has been crafted without sacrificing any of the meaty power of this appellation. The secret to this lies in the fine-grained tannins that drive the long, velvety finish. From organically grown grapes. Delicious now, but also excellent aging potential. Drink or hold. – J.S.

James Suckling - April 2022

A captivating bouquet of purple flowers welcomes the nose on a journey through an overgrown botanical garden down the path to a dewy forest. The palate is complex, with mulled plums and fresh blackberries, roasted meat and clove, with a light sprinkling of green peppercorn. A stunning wine to enjoy in its youth or cellar through 2035 and beyond. —A.C.C.

Wine Enthusiast - December 2023

Les Ruchets was planted nearly 100 years ago on an east-facing granite slope. That cool exposure shows in this wine’s fine balance of juicy black-cherry fruit against firm, savory notes of black earth and plum skins. It’s chewy and dense, with an overlay of oak that suggests this is best cellared for a few years. – T.T.

Wine & Spirits - February 2022

The 2020 Cornas les Ruchets shows less oak than I remember from previous vintages, featuring sappy, red-toned fruit on the nose. It's medium to full-bodied, silky—not chunky or beefy—with a long, refined finish. – J.C.

Wine Advocate - January 2022