Shay A

9.4

My contribution to a large Rhône dinner. Standouts were ‘07 Chapoutier Le Meal Blanc, ‘89 and ‘90 Jaboulet La Chappelle, ‘11 Guigal La Mouline.

An over-generalization, but what I love about Cornas is the rusticity and sometimes feral nature of the wines (which I don’t find in Hermitage or CR) and this ‘05 is in that vein. I followed this from pop (after all, we are at the almost 20yr mark) and over the course of three hours.

Interplay of red and black berry fruits, black pepper, slightly herbal (maybe closer to potpurri floral) aromatically. Bright and nimble on the palate, nothing about this is ripe or soft. Energetic acidity all the way through surrounded by notes of iron (sanguine-like) and rocky minerality. Crunchy red and black fruits (whole-cluster?), hint of gaminess but not in the meaty-style I semi-expected. Clean and pure style of Syrah. Big structure at the finish…hard to imagine drinking this 10+yrs ago. Acidity and tannin will carry this a long time, but I think this is peak window for getting depth of fruit and complexity. — 12 hours ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

Always a treat with its perfumed aromatics, balanced dark cherry, berry fruits, spice, mineral, graphite, iron, olive, pepper & violets — 5 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Dark, inky with its red & black cherry, berry fruit, lots of meat, blood, iron, spice, graphite & violets — 7 months ago

Conrad Green

9.6

A fantastic nose. So multi dimensional. Gamey, meaty, violets, iron, herbs. Intense, defined. Long. Fantastic. — a month ago

with David

Roberto Carli

9.3

Very clean black olive. Impressive! — 4 months ago

Roberto Carli

9.3

Good with packed fruit but below the winery’s mineral-laced standards. Totally different from its majestic granite counterpart — 6 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Lots of dark cherry, berry fruit, meat, iron, earth, licorice, spice & violets — 2 months ago

Adam Gäfvert

9.1

Elegant with dark fruit and modest spice. This estate has become more restrained I reckon. — 2 months ago

Adam Gäfvert

9.3

Very approachable and seamless. Dark fruits, iron, terracotta, citrus. Chapoutier always delivers serious wines. — 6 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

Drinking well with its big, rich flavors & beautiful aromatics showing dark cherry, berry, lots of spice, game, iron, underbrush, pepper & floral notes — 8 months ago