2011 Cornas Arenes Sauvages

The quality of wines at this cooperative winery has never been higher and, in my opinion, the only similar operation performing at as high a level right now is Produttori del Barbaresco, in Italy. Cave de Tain oversees production of more than 100 hectares of vines in the northern Rhône, all in what I would call the southern north, in the Tain l’Hermitage/Tournon/Valence sector. They are also a major landowner of Hermitage, with 21 hectares under vine on the hill. The red wines here are seldom flashy, but they are well-balanced, and they possess the structure to reward patience, especially the special cuvées. While some of the entry-level whites are on the weighty side, I find the parcel selection bottlings to be consistently excellent, with noteworthy energy and the potential to age gracefully.