A Wine with Soul

2008 Thierry Allemand Cornas "Chaillots" - $89.99

Theirry Allemand is a rock star/spiritual avatar to sommeliers around the world. His story is inspiring. As a young man working at a winery, Theirry began to seek out his own vineyards to farm. He rescued some that had been long abandoned, slowly rehabilitating them by hand, and usually, by himself. It took him 15 years before he could afford to make a living out of his own wines. His quiet manner and tireless devotion to natural winemaking make him interesting. But the flavors of his wines make him an object of reverence. 

Thierry is completely dedicated to natural winemaking, and is notorious for adding as little sulfur dioxide to his wine as possible. In great vintages, he even produces a cuvée that he calls "Sans Souf" (without sulfur). This is risky; sulfur dioxide is a preservative added to 99.99% of all wines because it helps keep them stable. Small amounts of sulfur are natural and advisable. But it also has the affect of dumbing down some of the nuance in natural wine; it can slightly dull the luster. Thus is the glory of Allemand Cornas: His winemaking is so precise, so painstaking, so strong, that he is able to add only the most minimal amounts of SO2. With Theirry's wines you get more luster for the buck. Sommeliers adore the wine for the subtlety, the texture, the lustiness, the life. It's a rare thing. 

We have only 6 bottles of "Chaillot" for sale. We recommend that you give it a bit of time to mature before drinking. In five or seven years, it will make for an exciting night.