Franck Balthazar “Cuvée Casimir Balthazar” Cornas 2018

Wow. Just wow. Only 12 bottles came into the state and I snagged them all. Absolutely stunning juice. It’s intensely savory and smoky, with a very concentrated finish. Balthazar is an old school Cornas producer with lots of polish, making whole-cluster Syrah that rivals the greats in Côte-Rôtie.