MCF Rare Wine
Robert Michel Cornas: The Final Vintages of a Master
This is a pretty big one...
Robert Michel's Cornas were my original gateway into the old-school of the Northern Rhône, and to this day, they remain some of my favorite.
When Michel retired following the 2006 vintage, I was happy to know that his holdings were left to his two protégés, Guillaume Gilles and his nephew Vincent Paris, both of whom received holdings and access to Michel's cellar, and are both carrying the torch for the appellation into the future.
There was, however, also a sadness that one of the pillars of my formative years in wine was no longer producing.
I immediately began to slowly purchase what I could from Michel's importer, Rosenthal, with the hopes of someday selling them once they'd reached a point of maturity.
Last Saturday, Ray and I dug those cases out of the far corner of our storage room, and I've decided that the time has come to let you all have a chance to get your hands on some gorgeously elegant, classically styled Cornas from one of the appellation's true legends, and to do it before the wines disappear completely.
So here we have four different wines, from three different vintages...the final three that Michel produced. Michel's wines are much more elegant when mature than you might expect, especially if you've tried other, much younger versions of Cornas. Yes, they do have all of those wonderful smoky/meaty/leathery/savory nuances, but they're expressed so softly and subtly. Even when young, Michel's wines had a vibrant freshness to them that you often didn't get from his contemporaries.
Again, it's a bit bittersweet to let go of these, but it's also the most rewarding thing a merchant can do for his customers - to showcase the brilliance of a producer through wines that are now fully expressing themselves.
Bonus points if that winemaker is no longer producing...
ROBERT MICHEL
Cornas Cuvée des Coteaux 2005 - the Coteaux was made from Michel's holdings in the famous Chaillot vineyard, and this 2005 is at peak elegance right now. The darker profile of the 2005 vintage comes through, while the lofty, fragrant, savory elements reign supreme. The tannins are fully resolved and this wine is just like a pair of old jeans - soft, honest and comforting to the soul.
Cornas La Geynale - the Geynale is the wine that Michel truly is famous for, sourced entirely from his Geynale cru, which was planted on the Reynard slope by his Grandfather in 1910. Where the Coteaux was partially de-stemmed, the Geynale was always left whole cluster because of the sublime elegance the high-slope fruit would naturally express. Here we have the final three vintages ever produced of Geynale - the dark, deeply textured 2005, the racy, herbaceous and linear 2004, and the hauntingly captivating 2006, which perfectly splits the 04/05. All three are singing right now.
You may also order by replying to this message or calling 212.255.8870.
Matt Franco
MCF Rare Wine, Ltd
249 West 13th Street NYC 10011
212.255.8870
Looking for a wine you loved from a past newsletter or a favorite you can't find anywhere? Email Raphael at raphael@mcf-rarewine.com, and we'll do our best to find it for you!
