Courbis Cornas La Sabarotte 2018

97/100 - An almost Hermitage-like bouquet of burning embers, cassis, graphite, woodsmoke, and spring flowers emerges from the 2018 Cornas La Sabarotte, which comes from a tiny, south-facing vineyard in this heralded appellation. Massive, full-bodied, tannic, and lengthy, it's a candidate for the wine of the vintage in Cornas. It needs 4-5 years of bottle age, but it’s a brilliant, magical wine that will keep for 20-25 years. - Jeb Dunnuck

94-97/100 - The 2018 Cornas la Sabarotte is a clear favorite at Courbis this year, as it's packed and stacked with lush purple fruit. Full-bodied, plush and creamy, it boasts solid granite underpinnings and a long, dusty finish that leaves behind a powerful impression of crushed stone. - Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate

95/100  - Saturated ruby color. Powerfully scented dark fruit liqueur, incense, vanilla, olive and exotic spice qualities on the nose, along with hints of cured tobacco and smoked meat. Offers palate-staining, deeply concentrated black and blue fruit, candied violet, cola, exotic spice and espresso flavors that smoothly blend depth and energy. Finishes youthfully chewy and precise, with steadily building tannins, resonating dark fruit, mineral and floral notes and superb persistence. All new oak. - Josh Raynolds, Vinous 

93/100 - An animated aromatic display, with ripe blackberry coulis, burnt toast, prune and dark chocolate all jostling for attention. The oak is marked on the nose and the palate at this early stage. Very powerful, the alcohol feels a little warming, it leans a touch towards overripeness (unlike the Eygats cuvée from this domaine). Great power and intensity, but the oak, sweet fruit and alcohol make for a very rich mouthful, with hoisin sauce and cola on the palate. It does, however, maintain flavour definition and a great sense of freshness. This is drinkable now for those that like an oaked style, but I would wait for it to integrate further. The fruit underneath is exceptional, but the oak is a little distracting. Old vines in lieu-dit La Sabarotte, all destemmed, malolactic fermentation and maturation in 70% new barrels and 30% 1-year-old. - Matt Walls, Decanter