2008 Thierry Allemand Cornas Les Chaillots

Intense and complex, with a slightly searing, youthful profile, the 2008 Cornas Chaillot boasts knockout aromatics of smoked meats, bacon fat, wild herbs, pepper, and violets that lead to a medium-bodied Syrah that has racy acidity, a slightly lean mid-palate, and plenty of focus and structure on the finish. Showing beautifully on the first pour, this lacks mid-palate depth with air, so while I think it will be better in 2-3 years, I wouldn’t advise any long-term cellaring here. Nevertheless, it is certainly outstanding and a beautiful Cornas. 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.