WTN: A perfect sendoff

Part of a fairly epic Rhone lineup for a good friend's impending move away from NY. We had some tremendous wines, amazing food (this was at Noreetuh), but this wine stood out for me.

• 1999 Noël Verset Cornas - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas (1/15/2025)
  This showed like my platonic ideal of Cornas, and I can't imagine how this could have been any better, or provided more enjoyment on the night. Amazing aromatic complexity; an incredible scent combining all things meaty and leathery, olive, red and dark fruit, and more savoury brothy and earthy notes, and the palate conveys the same depth of flavour with both power and a lightness of touch. This is the Verset magic; the wildest and sauvage qualities of Syrah and Cornas on a frame showing finesse and delicate touch that almost nobody else could pull off. Incredible wine, the last of my bottles and I'm glad I opened this when I did - just the perfect time and occasion for this.

[David M. Bueker]

Never hurts to open a unicorn!

while Verset is always great, it's especially hard to beat the '98/'99/'00 run, truly at the top of his game.

Oh, I have exactly one bottle of Verset and it’s this. If only there were an algorithm that would tell me how many months I need to wait to avoid being smacked down by the vengeful gods of bottle variation! (Although I’m pretty sure any vengeful god worth their salt can outwit an algorithm; that’s kinda their brand.) Glad yours was so spectacular!

while Verset is always great, it's especially hard to beat the '98/'99/'00 run, truly at the top of his game.

Those with more familiarity than I have said that Verset has some swings-and-misses, too. That being said, some of the most memorable bottles of wine I've ever had have been Verset Cornas and I'd give my left nut to have more in my cellar. Salil, your experience resonates with my own in finding that magical combination of the sauvage and the suave that only Verset has managed to achieve.

I've had a few hits and misses with the 99. I've had some bottle variation there, a couple of bottles showing leaner fruit and some VA, and others showing more similarly to this with more richness/power to the fruit and no VA. But when those wines are on, they're something special. In nearly any vintage too. (I have some great memories of his Cornas in a couple of lighter years like '94 and '02 - the latter wasn't a long-lived wine, and he was making from fewer/younger vines as he had sold his holdings in Sabarotte by then. But a remarkable wine given the context of the vintage.)

What a note!

Makes me wonder: Who is in 2nd place behind Verset in the Cornas pecking order? Clape? Juge?

[David M. Bueker]

What a note!

Makes me wonder: Who is in 2nd place behind Verset in the Cornas pecking order? Clape? Juge?

Allemand?

For me maybe
Verset
Voge/Allemand
Juge/Clape
Cuchet Beliando/Balthazar/Paris

But usually happy to drink any.
Heard good things about Serette but not tried.

For me maybe
Verset
Voge/Allemand
Juge/Clape
Cuchet Beliando/Balthazar/Paris

But usually happy to drink any.
Heard good things about Serette but not tried.

Well, now I know what to bring the next time I'm heading out to NYC

visit soon, I'm thirsty!