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B-21 Top Recommendation
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From a domaine with a devoted following among Northern Rhône fans yet seldom seen in the American market, this 2022 Cornas trio from Franck Balthazar offers a rare collectible opportunity.
"Balthazar's wines are raw, expressive, fleshy and complex..." - Nicolas Greinacher, Vinous
Known for their supremely old-school style, Balthazar's wines are in high demand and short supply among the most clued in Northern Rhône collectors. His meticulous yet minimalist techniques start in the vineyard, "one of the best managed in the appellation," according to Wine Advocate's Yohan Castaing, and continue in the cellar, resulting in some of the most authentic and true-to-place Cornas expressions you'll find. The 2022 Cornas Casimir, sourced from old vines in Les Mezards and early-2000s vines in Legre, is the flagship of Balthazar's domaine and the hallmark introduction to his style – "Medium to full-bodied, layered and textured, it's elegantly juicy with good depth at the core, structured, youthful tannins and a long, spicy finish ... an impressive effort," according to Castaing.
The 97-point 2022 Cornas Chaillot "is a brilliant showcase of Franck Balthazar's capabilities," as he makes the very best of this 100-year-old plot of vines that used to belong to the legendary Noël Verset. The "king of the cellar" as Castaing puts it, the Chaillot is a talilor-made thoroughbred that is purposely built for the long-haul. Finally, while you wait for the Chaillot to come around, don't miss the highly limited yet readily accessible, 96-point 2022 Cornas Sans Soufre. "Silky, light in body, so incredibly fresh ... and so bright," according to Decanter, its purity is its calling card, demonstrating Balthazar's commitment and skill with minimalist techniques.
Whether or not you're familiar with Balthazar, if you're a serious fan of ultra-classic Northern Rhône and Cornas in particular, these wines should be at the top of your list. |
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Very fresh wild blackberry, dry forest floor and wild herb aromas. Considering this was 100% whole-cluster fermented, the tannins are restrained, gently building at the long, moderately dry finish. Plenty of pepper and wild herb character in the finish. Should age well. Drink from release.
94 points, Stuart Pigott, James Suckling (Apr 2024)
The 2022 Cuvée Casimir Balthazar from Franck Balthazar is a beautiful old school Cornas, coming in at a very civilized thirteen percent octane. The wine is barrel-fermented and aged in older casks. The 2022 version is pure and vibrant on the nose, hopping from the glass in a blaze of black raspberries, cassis, pepper, black olive, roasted venison, stony dark soils, woodsmoke and a nice touch of cedary oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and precise, with a lovely core of fruit, excellent mineral undertow, tangy acids, buried, chewy tannins and a long, youthfully complex and beautifully balanced finish. This has the heightened acidity of a drought year wine and is going to take its sweet time coming to full maturity, but it is going to be an excellent bottle of Cornas once it is ready to drink.
93+ points, John Gilman, View From The Cellar (Oct 2025)
Crafted from old vines rooted in clay soils—two-thirds at the foot of the slope and one-third mid-slope—the 2022 Cornas Cuvée Casimir Balthazar unfurls from the glass with a delicately reduced bouquet of dark cherries, spices, pepper and flowers. Medium to full-bodied, layered and textured, it's elegantly juicy with good depth at the core, structured, youthful tannins and a long, spicy finish. Currently introverted due to the presence of reduction, it requires time to integrate its élevage and fully adjust to its recent bottling. This is an impressive effort.
93 points, Yohan Castaing, Wine Advocate (Mar 2025)
The 2022 Cornas Cuvée Casimir Balthazar is a savory beast. Full-bodied, tannic and concentrated, it bundles radiant black fruits, cedar, graphite and cured meat aromatics. Doubling down with afterglow on the savory finale, the 2022 demands at least three more years in a cool cellar.
92 points, Nicolas Greinacher, Vinous (Jan 2025)
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