Domaine du Tunnel, Cornas 2012

93 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
"Leading off the three 2012 Cornas releases, the straight 2012 Cornas’s inky purple color is followed by terrific notes of black raspberry, cassis, toasted spice and creamy licorice. About as polished and elegant as Cornas gets, it’s medium to full-bodied, seamless and elegant, with incredible purity of fruit. Like most 2012s, it’s already approachable, yet it will certainly shine for a decade or more. Proprietor Stephane Robert continues to find gold in these recent vintages."

93 points Vinous
"Inky purple. Ripe, expansive dark berry compote and violet aromas are complicated by suggestions of cola, licorice and cured tobacco. The palate offers deeply pitched blackberry and bitter cherry flavors that show a seamless quality and emphatic spiciness. Finishes smoky and long, with smooth tannins and lingering dark berry character."

***** John Livingstone-Learmonth
"some 1970s Syrah, also 1990s, from 15 plots, led by Combe, Les Saveux, Sauman, Mazards, Les Eygas, Champelrose, Patou, 80% destemmed, 15-18 day fermentation, pumping overs, cap punching, malo in cask, aged 4-year 228-litre oak casks 12-14 months, unfined, filtered, 12-15,000 b
(casks) dark colour; the bouquet is wrapped up, but under the reserve lies a good heart of dark fruiting. It has stylish potential to show clear, rich fruit, flowers – there are ripples of savoury fruit here. The palate presents engaging, enjoyable, ace fruit, an open book roll of sweet-noted liqueur black fruit. It lines up its tannins well – they have sheen and life. There is very good late palate continuity and running fruit, long, stylish content. Max pleasure to be had. Drink this with beef or lamb rather than game due to its clean lines. Good balance, generous, uncomplicated pleasure. Drinking Window: From late 2015. 2026-27."

Vinous Reverie Notes
A rising star in Rhone wines, Stephane Robert of Domaine du Tunnel may be soft-spoken, but his wines shout excellence. Although he only began his domaine in 1994, he has already won numerous awards and has been written up in Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate and Decanter. He named the winery “du Tunnel”, after the 500-foot stone tunnel that runs beneath the land. Work in the vineyards is done by hand, with occasional help from a horse and a winch. Harvests are carefully hand-sorted for quality, then taken for vinification.