TN: 2008 Thierry Allemand Cornas Chaillot (France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas)

[RS_Beck]

Jeeze, do we have to hold consistent opinions from thread to thread?

Posting is hard enough already!

[Alan_Rath]

I think Craig’s day job is as the guy who makes sure the actors have their hair parted the same way from scene to scene in the movies

[Craig_G]

@Alan Rath

I think Craig’s day job is as the guy who makes sure the actors have their hair parted the same way from scene to scene in the movies

“I’m in pictures.”

[Robert_Pavlovich]

@Alan Rath

2008 Thierry Allemand Cornas Chaillot - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas (2/22/2015)
Fireworks on the nose, just incredible zing, spice, pepper; palate is a little calmer, but shows plenty of dark, bright fruit, with pomegranate, pepper, great acidity, some grilled meats, crushed green peppercorn, present but fine and smooth tannins, just sensational for a young Cornas. The beauty of off vintages strikes again - this is so much better than its 2009 version. (93 pts.)

Maybe bring some Allemand to NY?

[J_Galang]

Nah, I just think Craig is just giving you sh!t for the 40th Anniversary Caymus

[Alan_Rath]

@J. Galang

Nah, I just think Craig is just giving you sh!t for the 40th Anniversary Caymus

I want that son of a bitch dead. I want you to get this f*ck where he breathes! I want you to find this nancy-boy Craig, I want him dead! I want his family dead! I want his house burned to the ground! I wanna go there in the middle of the night and I wanna piss on his ashes!

[Alan_Rath]

Wait, which thread are we in? Is this the one where Craig is in pictures?

[jflegler]

You guys motivated me. Just picked up 3 ea of the 08 and 09 Reynard for $107 ea with case discount. Added some 13 Tempier rose to round it out. Little shop in Tulsa gets a surprisingly decent Kermit Lynch allocation. I will bury the Allemand for awhile.

[AAgrawal]

@jflegler

You guys motivated me. Just picked up 3 ea of the 08 and 09 Reynard for $107 ea with case discount. Added some 13 Tempier rose to round it out. Little shop in Tulsa gets a surprisingly decent Kermit Lynch allocation. I will bury the Allemand for awhile.

That’s a crazy good price. I wish those were available here for that price.

[Robert.A.Jr]

@AAgrawal

@jflegler

You guys motivated me. Just picked up 3 ea of the 08 and 09 Reynard for $107 ea with case discount. Added some 13 Tempier rose to round it out. Little shop in Tulsa gets a surprisingly decent Kermit Lynch allocation. I will bury the Allemand for awhile.

That’s a crazy good price. I wish those were available here for that price.

No kidding, great price. I’d buy it all day long.

[Alan_Rath]

OK, here’s a note from last year on the 2008 Reynard. If this doesn’t make you want to open one, John, the force is strong in you:

2008 Thierry Allemand Cornas Reynard - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas (7/29/2013)
Nose of deep, crushed dark berries, hints of bacon fat, then fabulous, reserved intensity, with deep, dark, brooding pomegranate fruit, mouthwatering acidity, quite structured but nicely complex and a pleasure to drink even at its young age. Like a caged lion pacing back and forth, you sense the power in the this wine. If deep violet had a flavor, this would be it. Hard to know if this is going to fade to a thin acidic mess like 2002 or age gracefully and retain some of its depth and intensity over the long haul. I will be trying this a little more frequently than other stronger vintages, maybe once a year, just to be sure I don’t let it slip too far. (93 pts.)

[jflegler]

Most wines here are higher than average due to 3 tier system. Once in a very great while you find a deal like this because no one buys burgundy or no rhones here. I was shocked they had the Allemand in stock. They might have brought it in as a favor to the distributor. I know that sounds crazy but it is Oklahoma.

[Robert.A.Jr]

J -

Didn’t realize you were from Okie! You deserve that Allemand, I retract my jealousy!

[Alan_Rath]

@Robert Pavlovich

Maybe bring some Allemand to NY?

Rob, not planning to carry wine back there, but next time you’re up here we’ll do it!

[jflegler]

@Alan Rath

OK, here’s a note from last year on the 2008 Reynard. If this doesn’t make you want to open one, John, the force is strong in you:

2008 Thierry Allemand Cornas Reynard - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas (7/29/2013)
Nose of deep, crushed dark berries, hints of bacon fat, then fabulous, reserved intensity, with deep, dark, brooding pomegranate fruit, mouthwatering acidity, quite structured but nicely complex and a pleasure to drink even at its young age. Like a caged lion pacing back and forth, you sense the power in the this wine. If deep violet had a flavor, this would be it. Hard to know if this is going to fade to a thin acidic mess like 2002 or age gracefully and retain some of its depth and intensity over the long haul. I will be trying this a little more frequently than other stronger vintages, maybe once a year, just to be sure I don’t let it slip too far. (93 pts.)

Yeah, guess I will bury 2 of the 3! Will post a note when I get around to drinking it.

Robert- Thanks for the sympathy! I’m a native so I actually like the place. Luckily I have found out of state sources for my Burg itch.

[Ramon_C]

@jflegler

You guys motivated me. Just picked up 3 ea of the 08 and 09 Reynard for $107 ea with case discount. Added some 13 Tempier rose to round it out. Little shop in Tulsa gets a surprisingly decent Kermit Lynch allocation. I will bury the Allemand for awhile.

Very good price. Nicely done. Fore!

[Martin_Steinley]

@jflegler

You guys motivated me. Just picked up 3 ea of the 08 and 09 Reynard for $107 ea with case discount. Added some 13 Tempier rose to round it out. Little shop in Tulsa gets a surprisingly decent Kermit Lynch allocation. I will bury the Allemand for awhile.

You win this thread, John. That’s a sweet deal you got. I expect that you will enjoy every bottle.

[Gerhard_P]

@Craig G

I was told in another thread that the less ripe wines will age better. If so, why aren’t you drinking your 2009s and saving your 2008s? Or was that guy just wrong?

That was certainly not me.
So somebody means that the 1991 Bordeaux age better than the 1990?
The 2002 chateauneuf better than the 2001?

These vintages may survive quite a long time thru the high(er) acidity, but the results may be only fine for Alceto lovers …

A good wine is still about balance, which means ripe fruit, ripe tannins (red) and apropriate acidity … (not extraordinary acidity)

[Craig_G]

@Gerhard P.

@Craig G

I was told in another thread that the less ripe wines will age better. If so, why aren’t you drinking your 2009s and saving your 2008s? Or was that guy just wrong?

That was certainly not me.
So somebody means that the 1991 Bordeaux age better than the 1990?
The 2002 chateauneuf better than the 2001?

That guy is in this thread somewhere

[Eric_Texier]

@Gerhard P.

So somebody means that the 1991 Bordeaux age better than the 1990?
The 2002 chateauneuf better than the 2001?

Well, 1991 Côte Rotie or Côte de Nuits compared to 1990 or 1989?

Maybe, this is a little more complex than you seem to assume, no?
I am always surprised by your textbook opinion of things. Are you a structuralist of wine appreciation? Archives over reality?

2009 is not a balanced vintage in Northern Rhone. A significant number of growers had to ask derogation for residual sugars over the maximum limit (3g/l for wines over 13.5%).
A very highly praised wine from the area showed a 4 g/l RS, 14.4%, 0.38% TA, pH 3.94 score card, which is more what you would expect from Santa Inez or Barossa than Northern Rhone, imho.
1991 Gentaz was 12.4%, 0.9 RS, 0.55 TA, pH 3.38, 0.065 VA. Where else in the world can one achieve a syrah of this complexity and depth at 23 years of age with these numbers?
Isn’t it a big part of what we call terroir?

If you look carefully of the 2008s from great terroirs, you should realize that they are closer to 1991 than 1990, in many ways, in the Northern Rhone (and in Côte de Nuits also BTW…)!

I guess Alan opinion about 2008 over 2009 makes perfect sense for a grower and a terroir that seem to make together fantastic wines in rather cool vintages.