Cornas, Northern Rhône, France

There is no more singular figure in the Northern Rhône than Thierry Allemand. Though not yet in his 50s, he has been mythologised in much the same way as past greats like Noël Verset, Marius Gentaz and Auguste Clape. He built his domaine from scratch, inheriting nothing from his ancestors, assembling it parcel by parcel through years of painstaking work restoring abandoned vineyards in Cornas' greatest terroirs.

Allemand learned his craft at the knees of two Cornas legends, Joseph Michel and Noël Verset, before developing a philosophy entirely his own. Classic in his refusal to destem and his avoidance of new oak, he departs from convention through his use of minimal sulphur and his practice of leaving wines untouched on lees for 18 months to two years without racking. The result is Cornas of soaring aromatic complexity, perfect balance and unrivalled purity of expression.

Since 2021, his son Théo has directed the domaine, having worked alongside his father since 2015. The transition has been one of continuity rather than reorientation. In the cellar, fermentations proceed with 100% whole bunches, opening with two to three days of carbonic maceration before pigéage begins. Malolactic fermentation takes place under the cap, and élevage continues in used barrels for one year before transfer to tank for a further two to three months of rest prior to bottling.

With an average production of just 500 cases each of his two cuvées, there is never enough Allemand to satisfy demand. He has become the closest thing to a cult star the Northern Rhône has seen.

Cuvée C Cornas 2023

Formerly labelled Chaillots, this cuvée is produced from vines under 40 years old.

Notes of mulberries, violet and blueberry mingled with subtle carnal nuances preface the 2023 Cornas Cuvée C, a medium to full-bodied, dense and structured wine with a tensile, vibrant profile framed by velvety tannins, concluding with a long, ethereal, violet-inflected finish. Produced at a yield of 32 hectoliters per hectare, a healthy figure for the estate, it will reward patience in the cellar.

95/100 pts — Yohan Castaing, The Wine Advocate, May 2026

Production is extremely limited. Once it is gone, it is gone.