Jean-Luc Colombo : Terres Brûlées 2018

Sleek and focused, with a racy core of red currant and bitter cherry coulis framed with a floral edge, and carried by a pure, mouthwatering mineral streak on the finish. Best from 2023 through 2034. 1,300 cases made, 950 cases imported.

Saturated ruby. Deeply perfumed aromas of dark berries, cherry liqueur, earth and flowers are sharpened by a cracked pepper accent. Offers concentrated, finely detailed flavors of cassis, bitter cherry, candied violet and smoked meat that turn sweeter as the wine stretches out. Firms up steadily with air and finishes very long and chewy, with building tannins and resonant dark berry and mineral notes.

Cigar box, smoke, and peppery red fruit scents open the medium-bodied, tannic, piquant, sweet-and-tart wine. Tannic and austere, give this time in the cellar to come around, as it is not going to be fun to drink in its youth.

A finer, more elegant juice than la-louvée, with a refined, deep palate and very elegant velvety tannins. It can be cellared, but its voluptuous finish already makes it very seductive.

Notes of crushed stone, licorice and cassis all appear on the nose of Colombo's 2018 Cornas Terres Brulees. As the entry-level bottling in the U.S. market and a blend of 13 parcels, it's a solid introduction to the appellation. Medium to full-bodied, it's ripe but not overripe, adequately concentrated and not overly oaky, allowing the fruit, vintage and terroir to come through. Sure, it's a bit silky and refined for Cornas, but that seems to be the intent.