Neil Valenzuela

9.0

Deep ruby color. Aromas of blackberry, plum and cocoa. Dark fruit on the palate, baking spices and oak finish.

🍇64% cab, 31% petit sirah, 2% malbec, 2% saint Macaire, 1% merlot.

🏅93 Points - Wine Enthusiast
🏅90 Points - Vinous — 3 days ago

Ericsson

9.8

1st Growth Bordeaux comparison. Mind blowing. I mean, from a weak Bordeaux vintage comes this masterpiece which can be enjoyed now or saved for decades to come. Beautiful nose and almost perfumed with roses and black cheery and blueberry, cedar, and pencil shavings. The palate is pure bliss full of complexity, intensity yet balanced and the finish just goes on and on. Cheers. — 5 months ago

Conrad Green

9.5

light and focused. Lime and chalk. Light compared to the 10 alongside. Very pure and translucent. Pretty — 6 months ago

with Walker and David

Alessandro Dalle Carbonare

9.5

Layered and focused this wine is pure and concentrated. Balanced and thick.
Long lasting finish with a core of acidity that lifts it up.
94-96 — 7 months ago

Shay A

9.5

Opened for a buddy’s birthday, alongside a 2005 Tatty Comtes, 2015 Cristal, 2018 Realm Falstaff and 2023 Kobayashi M/R.

I still remember my first Allemand seven years ago and how it immediately reeled me in and every bottle since has been the exact same. The rusticity and feral nature of Cornas is why for me, as a Syrah fanboy, it’s the best and most pure region for this wonderful grape.

Removed cork about an hour before pouring. Initial notes of olive, black pepper spice and herbs, some smoked meat and a brief blood-orange citrus aromatic. Deep red/black in the glass. There’s a layer of brett (low level, adds to the intrigue, doesn’t detract) and lavender bouquet before peppered strip, herbs, raspberries and blackberries, and a sanguine tang hit the palate. Not sure of whole cluster use here but seems there’s a little bit (which I love). Wild but civilized. Medium-plus bodied with beautiful acidity and plenty of tannin for this to cruise years. On the early side, but these are so hard to resist in every phase.

I wish I could drink this every day. I need to find a wine of similar style at a better price point. — a day ago

Conrad Green

9.6

Wow. Intense and pure in the nose. A hint of tang with an amazing fresh core given the age. Dark tang fruit with underbrush and mineral/ iron/ iodine notes. Pure and delicious. A great bottle. — 5 months ago

Conrad Green

9.5

Dark plum and ink. Very pure and scented. Lovely texture and intensity. Plush — 6 months ago

with BOT, Matt and 1 other

Liselotte Brouwers

9.8

Een eer om te drinken. Deze wijn blijft geven en is perfect in balans en bovenal prachtig op dronk. Pure verse truffel, tabak, leer, laurier, paddenstoelen.
Gekregen voor mijn verjaardag vorig jaar van al mijn lieve vrienden, gezien '95 mijn geboortejaar is en nu mogen drinken met wijnvrienden om te vieren dat we samen eerste werden op het NK blindproeven. Heel dankbaar! ❤️ — 4 months ago

Ira Schwartz

9.3

I’ve been fortunate to consume several bottles of this legend. However, this was the first bottle that did not have me babbling to my dinner guests. All the Rayas traits; elegance , pure fruit , spice were present just not oversized. — 5 months ago

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. — 7 months ago