2010 Domaine Thierry Allemand Cornas Les Chaillots
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Tasting notes
The 2010 Cornas Chaillot has fabulous richness and depth, with seamless integration of its fruit, tannin and acidity. Exhibiting deep, rich notes of liquid blackberry, plum, black pepper, smoked duck and soy, this full-bodied, gorgeously pure Cornas has a supple, layered texture, bright acidity and a big finish. Relatively approachable given the texture and fruit, yet showing the vintage’s purity and focus, this knockout effort will drink well for upwards of two decades. Thierry Allemand has been working the steep slopes just outside the town of Cornas since 1982, when he planted his own vineyard. Since then, he has slowly added plots, and now has roughly 10 acres under vine, most in prime spots and granite soils. The winemaking here is very traditional, with little destemming and the wines spending up to two years in older barrels and foudre, with little racking, before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. He normally releases two Cornas; the younger vine cuvee, the Chaillot, which comes from vines from 5 to 40 years in age, and the older vine cuvee, the Reynard, which comes from the oldest vines on the estate (34- to 90-year-old vines). Looking at the 2010s, the wines are more fresh, focused and austere than the 2009s, with additional purity and focus.
Critic scores
Josh Raynolds
Josh Raynolds
More reviews and scores
Opaque ruby. Heady, smoke- and spice-accented aromas of dark berries, potpourri and minerals. Sappy, penetrating and pure, offering expansive black raspberry and boysenberry flavors that are lifted and sharpened by juicy acidity. Shows superb clarity and power on the finish, which is firmed by fine-grained, harmonious tannins. The balance here is remarkable.
Tasted in two components: #1: Bright red berry and cherries on the nose and palate, with exotic floral and spice notes that build with air. Juicy and focused, with smooth tannins adding shape on the back end. #2, from older vines: wilder and more pungent, offering an array of black and blue fruit qualities, along with candied licorice and smoky minerality. Very sweet, with serious finishing power and cling. This refuses to let go of the palate.
About the producer
Allemand’s wines set the benchmark for Cornas: expressive Syrahs crafted with uncompromising traditional methods and released in tiny quantities. From the 1980s, he revived abandoned vineyards on Cornas’s steep granite slopes, building his domaine without inherited land or financial support.