Top 10 Cornas According to Me

Cornas has become very en vogue or of the moment the last 15 years. It used to be a very impenetrable wine that demanded 20+ years of cellaring. Additionally, there were not that many producers as the appellation is so small. But today it is experiencing a renaissance and there are a cadre of top producers out there including some that still do slip under the radar. As with any appellation, collectors and somms seem to focus on the impossible, hard to obtain cult producers. Allemand and Clape are wonderful producers but have gotten majorly pricey for the normal drinker. Fortunately, there are a good number of fantastic producers that have not gotten the “unicorn” buzz and are still reasonably priced.  Here is my list.

1. Thierry Allemand - Obviously this is #1 on the list and for good reason. He is possibly the reason for the Cornas renaissance. His polished traditional wines have textures that unicorn hunters die for, along with layered and very complex aromas. He makes the younger vine Chaillot and the old vine Reynard cuvees. IF you are lucky you can be blessed with a bottle of the Reynard "Sans Soufre" Cuvee which is the stuff of legends. It has zero sulfur, and is nearly impossible to find a Syrah with this much purity. Brilliant producer and only going up in price.
2. Marcel Juge - With a tiny production and with the wines entering a pre-unicorn frenzy where you have to know the right people to get a bottle, this blurb is academic at best. Burgundian Cornas with stunning purity, elegance and finesse along with spellbinding aromas. They age wonderfully and are always an event when opened and shared amongst close friends. Marcel is old and makes very little wine now, but 14 and 15 are in barrel and reportedly spectacular.
3. August Clape - The classic and old school master whose wines were relatively affordable and then Parker dropped some 99 and 100s and they became much more expensive. All in the game, I guess. These wines really do need 10-15 years to strut but that's better than the older vintages which needed 25-30 years. There is the regular Cuvee and also the Renaissance Cuvee which is an affordable young vines Cuvee that can be drunk earlier. These wines are decadently rich, unapologetically old school with deep serious structure. They are dramatic, beautiful and incredible engaging wines that are some of the most unique Syrahs in earth.
4. Noel Verset - Another old master who is not making wines anymore. He passed away last year and made so many vintages of his unique and singular Cornas. Very funky, very ethereal and very pure. There is nothing like these wines. They can have bottle variation and that was ok at $45-$50 a bottle, but not ok at $400-$800 where they are priced now. I've had stunning bottles and bottles so horsey they were rendered undrinkable. But when on, maybe the greatest Cornas.
5. Dumien-Serrette - A minuscule estate producing three Cornas all from old vines. The Patou and the Saveaux are both from vines between 70-80 years old. Saveaux can be accessible young but Patou is more structured and dense and needs 10-12 years. Saveaux needs only 5-6 years and with a heavy decant can be drunk young.  The wines have tiny berry concentrated dark fruits with terrific structure and density. Such compelling minerality as well. These are very stoney wines with great grip and freshness despite being large scaled. There is also the rare Henri Cuvee named after his grandfather from 100+ year old vines.
6. Cuchet-Belliando - Talk about old school, they believe Allemand and Clape are making modern wine in Cornas! This Cornas sees no wood and is aged in concrete for 6 years. The current release is 2010. This is rarer than any wine on this list. Monster old school Cornas with insane structure and freshness. So mineral. Will last 35 more years. Monumental wines. Made by very eccentric people, these wines are impossible to get.
7. Robert Michel - Another terrific staunch traditionalist, the Cornas Geynale is the stuff of legends and was also very fairly priced. These are elegant, almost Burgundian, Cornas with a great suppleness that give off stunning and classical meaty and truffley aromas after proper cellaring. He sadly retired after the 2006 vintage but he became the mentor for the next person on this list.
8. Guillhaume Gilles - The new young stud in Cornas who is being mentored by the above and aforementioned Robert Michel. These are stunning wines of uncommon depth, power and concentration. Deep, meditative and stunningly pure these are sure to be cult wines in a few years. They are truly special. Guillhaume Gilles is the future of Cornas.
9. Vincent Paris - For me this is the most solid Cornas and most approachable young to without sacrificing its traditional authenticity.  Vincent’s uncle is Robert Michell, #7 on our list, and makes a 30 Granit and 60 Granit and a brilliant old vine Geynale from his Uncle’s vines which he inherited. These are 90+ years old. The 30 Granit for $35 or so is a terrific value and the best entry level Cornas for my money. The Geynale is just stunning and should be found at all costs. Not as hard to find as Allemand’s Geynale and less pricey.
10. Jacques Lemenicier -  I only worked one vintage with Jacques, which was the slightly difficult 2012, but what a wine it was. Elegant like you won’t believe with perhaps the most feminine profile of any Cornas besides Juge. So pure, so juicy, so authentic with game, garrigue, meat and lavender. I can only imagine how 13 and 15 are.

Honorable Mentions - Domaine du Tunnel (Stephane Robert), Frank Balthazar,