New Collection of Thierry Allemand
12/08/2024
I am excited to offer a fantastic collection of Thierry Allemand, all coming from a single collector.
3 x T. Allemand Cornas Chaillots 1999
£250 per bt In Bond
93/100 John Gilman:'Based on the stunning aromatics of Thierry Allemand’s 1999 Chaillot, I was anticipating a world-shaking glass of wine. But, the palate is oddly a bit less satisfying that the stunning bouquet, with a slightly loose-knit structure that makes one wonder if a low sulfur cellar regimen is going to rob this wine of decades of potential longevity. In any case, the nose is truly brilliant, soaring from the glass in a blend of raspberries, pepper, smoked meats, stony soil tones, woodsmoke and a lovely array of upper register spice tones. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, complex and well-balanced, with a good core of fruit, melting tannins and a long, complex and absolutely wide open finish. There is not much backend grip here and as the wine sits in the glass for an extended period of time, the first vestiges of oxidation start to show a tad. Contrast this structural fragility with the timeless beauty of the 1999 Verset Cornas and one really has to ask what is the purpose of lowering sulfur use in the cellar to the point of risking longevity. But, at least for the near-term, this wine is drinking beautifully.'
6 x T. Allemand Cornas Reynard 2001
£1,980 per case of 6 bt In Bond
91+/100 Stephen Tanzer:'Bright medium ruby. Pure aromas of blackberry, black raspberry and violet; more deeply pitched and less expressive today than the Chaillot. Bigger and thicker in the mouth but also with terrific verve and floral perfume. Clearly higher in volatile acidity than the Chaillot. (Incidentally, my sample of the 2001 Verset Cornas, which I assume was from Verset's later bottling following the summer of 2003, was unacceptably volatile, with a dominant flavor of grapefruit. ) But still rather closed on the finish, which features excellent density, strong peppery tannins and impressive persistence.'
6 x T. Allemand Cornas Chaillots 2005
£1,440 per case of 6 bt In Bond
93/100 Josh Raynolds:'Inky ruby. Powerful raspberry and boysenberry aromas are complicated by fresh violet and dusty minerals, plus a late-arriving cola quality. Pliant red and dark berry preserve flavors offer impressive depth and concentration, with gentle tannins adding structure and shape. This really clings to the palate on the finish, with the dark berry flavors echoing.'
18 x T. Allemand Cornas Reynard 2005
£1,800 per case of 6 bt in Original Case Duty Paid
95/100 Josh Raynolds:'(this is essentially the Chaillot with the addition of old-vines Reynard) Opaque purple. Explosive, room-filling bouquet of ripe blue and black fruits, fresh flowers, Asian spices and smoky minerals. Deep, sweet and velvety, with bracing cassis and boysenberry flavors, amazing mineral lift and hefty but fine-grained tannins. Extremely impressive and built to repay extended cellaring. (Allemand's 2006s were scheduled to be bottled in early December, two weeks after my visit. I tasted three stunning lots, with the Reynard especially palate-staining, but Allemand had not yet decided how he could combine these three components into two bottlings.)'
6 x T. Allemand Cornas Reynard 2005
£1,800 per case of 6 bt Duty Paid
95/100 Josh Raynolds:'(this is essentially the Chaillot with the addition of old-vines Reynard) Opaque purple. Explosive, room-filling bouquet of ripe blue and black fruits, fresh flowers, Asian spices and smoky minerals. Deep, sweet and velvety, with bracing cassis and boysenberry flavors, amazing mineral lift and hefty but fine-grained tannins. Extremely impressive and built to repay extended cellaring. (Allemand's 2006s were scheduled to be bottled in early December, two weeks after my visit. I tasted three stunning lots, with the Reynard especially palate-staining, but Allemand had not yet decided how he could combine these three components into two bottlings.)'
6 x T. Allemand Cornas Reynard 2006
£1,650 per case of 6 bt In Bond
93/100 Josh Raynolds:'(scheduled to be bottled in December 2008) Vivid ruby. Intensely perfumed nose displays spicy red berry and cherry scents, with deeper cocoa and licorice qualities. Chewy, slightly bitter berry and cherry skin flavors are firmed by dusty tannins. Becomes sweeter on the finish, with the licorice note echoing. More powerful than the Chaillot but I prefer that wine's clarity and elegance right now'
1 x T. Allemand Cornas Reynard 2007 magnum
£480 per mag In Bond
93/100 Josh Raynolds:'Inky purple. Deeper and more powerful on the nose than the Chaillot, displaying pungent aromas of cassis, boysenberry, violet, dark chocolate and licorice. Surprisingly lithe on the palate following the richness of the nose, offering vibrant dark berry flavors and a note of refreshingly bitter cherry skin. Turns spicier with air, finishing with strong cut and a persistent floral quality. I really like this wine's blend of masculine character and vibrancy.'
1 x T. Allemand Cornas Reynard 2008 magnum
£440 per mag In Bond
93/100 Jeb Dunnuck:'A beautiful Syrah, especially in the vintage, the 2008 Cornas Reynard has a gorgeous perfume of bacon fat, wild herbs, saddle leather, and crushed flowers that’s supported by a vibrant core of black and red berry-styled fruits. Medium-bodied, seamless, and pure, with impeccable balance, integrated acidity, and a classy finish, this opened up over the evening and is already approachable and complex. It will no doubt evolve gracefully for 10-12 years, but there’s no harm in drinking now.'
12 x T. Allemand Cornas Reynard 2009
£1,800 per case of 6 bt In Bond
97/100 Jeb Dunnuck:'More backward, mineral-laced and concentrated, the 2009 Cornas Reynard offers up an incredible, liquid mineral-driven bouquet that includes awesome cassis, ground herbs, violets, tar and crushed stone. This full-bodied effort has brilliant concentration, integrated, yet vibrant acidity and masses of tannin that emerge on the finish. Tasting like the essence of Cornas, this thrilling wine should be given another 2-4 years in the cellar and enjoyed over the following two decades.'
2 x T. Allemand Cornas Chaillots 2011
£200 per bt In Bond
93/100 Josh Raynolds:'Inky purple. Sexy, mineral-laced black and blue fruit aromas are complemented by notes of licorice, violet and black tea. Juicy and precise, offering intense boysenberry and bitter cherry flavors and a touch of spicecake that gains strength with aeration. The floral note comes back strong on the strikingly persistent finish, which is firmed by dusty, fine-grained tannins. Plenty deep and intense but comes off as a bit more lithe than the even deeper and sappier Reynard.'
6 x T. Allemand Cornas Reynard 2012
£1,500 per case of 6 bt In Bond
98/100 Jeb Dunnuck:'Coming from the oldest vines of the estate and one of the best vineyards in the world for Syrah, the 2012 Cornas Reynard is a massive, thick and unctuous effort that's bursting at the seams with notions of crème de cassis, crushed violets, smoked game and incredible minerality. Just a sensational Cornas that surpasses what was achieved in 2009 and 2010, this full-bodied, concentrated and structured effort has the fruit to be enjoyable now (this is a common trait of the vintage), yet has the depth, richness and balance to evolve for over two decades. It doesn't come cheap, but it's up there with some of the finest Syrahs made.'
6 x T. Allemand Cornas Reynard 2014
£200 per bt In Bond
94/100 Josh Raynolds:'Youthful violet. Intense, mineral-accented aromas of blackberry and boysenberry, joined by suave Indian spice and incense notes as the wine opens up. Youthfully nervy and focused on the palate, offering bright blue fruit, violet and spicecake flavors that show outstanding clarity and mineral lift. Closes sappy and pure, showing harmonious tannins and leaving a vibrant blue fruit note behind.'
1 x T. Allemand Cornas Reynard 2014 magnum
£400 per mag In Bond
94/100 Josh Raynolds:'Youthful violet. Intense, mineral-accented aromas of blackberry and boysenberry, joined by suave Indian spice and incense notes as the wine opens up. Youthfully nervy and focused on the palate, offering bright blue fruit, violet and spicecake flavors that show outstanding clarity and mineral lift. Closes sappy and pure, showing harmonious tannins and leaving a vibrant blue fruit note behind.'
3 x T. Allemand Cornas Chaillots 2015
£160 per bt In Bond
96/100 Josh Raynolds:'Deep lurid ruby. Heady, smoke- and spice-accented boysenberry, cherry liqueur and violet aromas show excellent clarity and pick up a hint of olive with aeration. Sweet and broad on the palate, offering deeply concentrated yet energetic dark berry preserve, cola and floral pastille flavors, plus a suggestion of spicecake. The extremely long, velvety finish features an echo of juicy, sweet blue fruit and harmonious tannins that come in late.'
12 x T. Allemand Cornas Chaillots 2015
£960 per case of 6 bt In Bond
96/100 Josh Raynolds:'Deep lurid ruby. Heady, smoke- and spice-accented boysenberry, cherry liqueur and violet aromas show excellent clarity and pick up a hint of olive with aeration. Sweet and broad on the palate, offering deeply concentrated yet energetic dark berry preserve, cola and floral pastille flavors, plus a suggestion of spicecake. The extremely long, velvety finish features an echo of juicy, sweet blue fruit and harmonious tannins that come in late'
12 x T. Allemand Cornas Chaillots 2015
£1,920 per case of 12 bt In Bond
96/100 Josh Raynolds:'Deep lurid ruby. Heady, smoke- and spice-accented boysenberry, cherry liqueur and violet aromas show excellent clarity and pick up a hint of olive with aeration. Sweet and broad on the palate, offering deeply concentrated yet energetic dark berry preserve, cola and floral pastille flavors, plus a suggestion of spicecake. The extremely long, velvety finish features an echo of juicy, sweet blue fruit and harmonious tannins that come in late.'
3 x T. Allemand Cornas Reynard 2015
£220 per bt In Bond
98/100 Josh Raynolds:'Brilliant violet. An expansive bouquet evokes dark berry liqueur, Indian spices, violet candy and incense, brightened by a smoky mineral nuance that builds in the glass. Sappy, sweet and penetrating on the palate, offering pliant black raspberry, cherry liqueur and floral pastille flavors complemented by exotic five-spice powder and white pepper accents. Spicy, sweet and seamless on the remarkably persistent finish, which displays velvety, harmonious tannins and resonating floral and blue fruit notes.'
6 x T. Allemand Cornas Reynard 2015
£1,320 per case of 6 bt In Bond
98/100 Josh Raynolds:'Brilliant violet. An expansive bouquet evokes dark berry liqueur, Indian spices, violet candy and incense, brightened by a smoky mineral nuance that builds in the glass. Sappy, sweet and penetrating on the palate, offering pliant black raspberry, cherry liqueur and floral pastille flavors complemented by exotic five-spice powder and white pepper accents. Spicy, sweet and seamless on the remarkably persistent finish, which displays velvety, harmonious tannins and resonating floral and blue fruit notes.'
12 x T. Allemand Cornas Reynard 2015
£2,640 per case of 12 bt in Original Case In Bond
98/100 Josh Raynolds:'Brilliant violet. An expansive bouquet evokes dark berry liqueur, Indian spices, violet candy and incense, brightened by a smoky mineral nuance that builds in the glass. Sappy, sweet and penetrating on the palate, offering pliant black raspberry, cherry liqueur and floral pastille flavors complemented by exotic five-spice powder and white pepper accents. Spicy, sweet and seamless on the remarkably persistent finish, which displays velvety, harmonious tannins and resonating floral and blue fruit notes.'
6 x T. Allemand Cornas Chaillots 2016
£1,080 per case of 6 bt In Bond
96/100 Josh Raynolds:'Inky ruby. Intense blueberry, incense, exotic spice and mineral qualities on the expansive, seductively perfumed nose. Stains the palate with spice-laced black and blue fruit, spicecake, olive and violet pastille flavors that show real power and tension and no excess fat. The floral and mineral notes drive a strikingly long, pure finish given shape by smooth, steadily building tannins.'
6 x T. Allemand Cornas Reynard 2016
£1,260 per case of 6 bt In Bond
97/100 Josh Raynolds:'Brilliant purple. Dark fruit, floral and spice qualities on the hugely perfumed, expansive nose, along with suggestions of incense, olive and smoky minerals. Stains the palate with powerful, youthfully concentrated blueberry, cassis, spicecake and violet pastille flavors that are given spine and lift by a core of zesty acidity. Lingers with outstanding tenacity on the sharply delineated, floral-driven finish, which is shaped by chewy, slow-building tannins.'
12 x T. Allemand Cornas Reynard 2016
£2,520 per case of 12 bt In Bond
97/100 Josh Raynolds:'Brilliant purple. Dark fruit, floral and spice qualities on the hugely perfumed, expansive nose, along with suggestions of incense, olive and smoky minerals. Stains the palate with powerful, youthfully concentrated blueberry, cassis, spicecake and violet pastille flavors that are given spine and lift by a core of zesty acidity. Lingers with outstanding tenacity on the sharply delineated, floral-driven finish, which is shaped by chewy, slow-building tannins.'
2 x T. Allemand Cornas Chaillots 2018
£150 per bt In Bond
96/100 Josh Raynolds:'Brilliant ruby. Intense blackberry and cherry aromas are complicated by suggestions of exotic spices, olive, cracked pepper and pungent flowers. Youthfully chewy, appealingly sweet black and blue fruit flavors deepen and turn spicier with air; a smoky mineral element adds back-end lift and cut. Rounded tannins add subtle grip to an impressively long, floral- and spice-driven finish that leaves salty olive and cola notes behind. All whole clusters.'
3 x T. Allemand Cornas Reynard 2018
£200 per bt In Bond
97/100 Josh Raynolds:'Deep magenta. Highly perfumed dark berry, violet, smoky mineral and olive aromas show superb clarity and a touch of spiciness. Offers sweet, palate-staining blackberry, cherry-cola, succulent herb and floral pastille flavors that deepen slowly and take on a licorice nuance with aeration. Rich but lively as well, finishing with emphatic back-end cut, building tannins and impressively persistent floral, mineral and exotic spice notes.'
12 x T. Allemand Cornas Reynard 2018
£2,400 per case of 12 bt In Bond
97/100 Josh Raynolds:'Deep magenta. Highly perfumed dark berry, violet, smoky mineral and olive aromas show superb clarity and a touch of spiciness. Offers sweet, palate-staining blackberry, cherry-cola, succulent herb and floral pastille flavors that deepen slowly and take on a licorice nuance with aeration. Rich but lively as well, finishing with emphatic back-end cut, building tannins and impressively persistent floral, mineral and exotic spice notes.'
2 x T. Allemand Cornas Reynard 2020
£225 per bt In Bond
★★★★★ John Livingstone-Learmonth (Drink Rhone):'very dark, full robe; the bouquet loiters well, has an aroma of blackberry-blackcurrant, some grilling, carries depth, good pulp of fruit within along with a touch of smokiness, wee menthol. The palate has a stylish intro, bears juicy content, elegant tannins, pursues its trail consecutively, the second half cool-ferrous. It’s well ensemble, a genuine warm weather Cornas. The late moments are gunflint, stylish, rocky-detailed. It’s going to gradually open.'
Offered subject. E&OE. Ex-Octavian.