Deep ruby. Assertive, mineral- and spice-accented aromas of black and blue fruit, candied flowers and licorice, accented by slowly building smoky notes. Sappy, focused and pure, offering intense blackberry and boysenberry flavors that put on weight and become spicier with aeration. Shows outstanding vivacity and power on the penetrating finish, which features building tannins and an emphatic mineral quality.

A terrific Cornas from this cooler, more difficult vintage, the 2013 Cornas Chaillot offers about as classic expression of northern Rhône Syrah as I could imagine: blackberries, olives, smoked meats, searing black and white pepper, and spring flower notes all literally soar from the glass. Possessing medium-bodied richness, perfect balance, and a level of elegance rarely found from this appellation, it’s going to benefit from another few years of bottle age and keep for 15+. Thierry Allemand has farmed his vineyard in Cornas since 1982. Today he has roughly 10 acres under vine, mostly in the prime, steep, pure granite portions of the appellation. The winemaking is as traditional as it gets with the wines not destemmed, aged all in older barrels and foudre, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. He releases two Cornas with the younger vine Chaillot coming from vines between 5 and 40 years in age, and the older vine Reynard cuvée coming from the oldest vines on the estate averaging between 34 and 90 years in age.