France — wine
Cornas
Pure Syrah from granite terraces south of Hermitage. The most rustic and powerful Northern Rhône appellation — 'cor nas' means 'burnt earth' in Occitan. Dark, inky, peppery, slow-opening wines. Must be the most patient wine in the Rhône. Auguste Clape is the patriarch; Thierry Allemand is the modern perfectionist benchmark.
Benchmark products
Vintage assessments
| Year | Rating | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 88 | Good warm vintage. Dense, structured. Granite precision maintained. Cellar-worthy. |
| 2021 | 85 | Good. Cooler year. Less opulent but more classical Cornas iron-mineral character. |
| 2020 | 86 | Good. Dense, tannic, needs time. Classic Cornas requires 10+ years from top producers. |
| 2019 | 90 | Very good. Cornas' distinct black-fruit, structured style. Clape and Allemand outstanding. |
| 2018 | 91 | Excellent. Classic Cornas — iron, black olive, intense Syrah. Colombo and Verset also strong. |
| 2017 | 93 | Outstanding Cornas. Clape producing benchmark wines. Granite terroir expression at its finest. |