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Tasting notes
The 2003 Cornas comes across as borderline overripe and has a slightly roasted fruit note that, while not off putting, isn’t really a positive feature either. Roasted herbs, leather, charcoal and plenty of ripe, lifted dark fruit aromas jump from the glass and this improves with air, gaining a smidge more depth and complexity. On the second day, the charcoal character turned into a dirty ash tray slant with the roasted notes fading. Despite some reservations regarding the nose, the palate is outstanding. Ripe, rich and round, it has plenty of texture and firms up nicely on the finish with ripe, slightly rustic tannins. I’d opt for drinking these over the next 5 to 8 years.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
(the yield was just 15 hectoliters per hectare in 2003, vs. a normal 25, noted Allemand) High-pitched, very fresh red and dark berry notes, with complicating accents of licorice, violet, rose and magnolia. Full and lush in the mouth, with almost jammy blackberry, cherry cola and cassis flavors. This has fruit to burn, finishing round, unctuous and softly tannic, with remarkable length. This was in a single, large steel tank awaiting bottling.
(aging entirely in used barrels) Saturated dark ruby. Powerful, primary, porty aromas of black raspberry liqueur, violet, tar and licorice; shows a slightly stewy aspect. Huge, fat and full, with a porty richness. Chunky flavors of black fruits and chocolate. Utterly without hard edges, but could also use a bit more verve. Not at all overly sweet; in fact, Allemand says this finished its alcoholic fermentation with less than a gram per liter of residual sugar. Will be a monster in a bottle. Today the wine's powerful tannins cut off the fruit. It's hard to imagine the final form of this wine today.
About the producer
Allemand’s wines set the benchmark for Cornas: expressive Syrahs crafted with uncompromising traditional methods and released in tiny quantities. From the 1980s, he revived abandoned vineyards on Cornas’s steep granite slopes, building his domaine without inherited land or financial support.