Domaine Auguste Clape 2017

Domaine Clape is one of the most historic and revered family estates in the Northern Rhône, with roots in Cornas stretching back over 250 years. Auguste Clape began bottling his own wines in the 1950s, at a time when most growers sold fruit to négociants, helping to elevate the global profile of Cornas. Today the domaine is run by successive generations of the Clape family, working steep, terraced granite slopes by hand to cultivate old vine Syrah. The vineyards are predominantly planted on granite soils with a clay component, fostering powerful, mineral rich fruit with classic Rhône character. Cornas itself is a small, rugged appellation within the larger Rhône Valley, known for producing intense, ageworthy Syrah from south-facing hillsides and ancient vines. 2017 was a challenging vintage across the Northern Rhône, marked by drought and millerandage, yet the old vines at Cornas fared well, producing concentrated fruit with strong expression of place and terroir.

The 2017 Cornas from Domaine Clape is traditionally made from a selection of old vine parcels including Reynards, La Côte and Sabarotte, and fermented with indigenous yeasts. Whole clusters are often included and the wine is raised for around 18-22 months in large, old oak foudres, allowing texture and structure to develop without new oak influence. In the glass it shows deep purple colour and a concentrated nose of dark berries, pepper spice, smoke, olive pastille and mineral grip, with expressive savoury and floral notes. On the palate the wine is full-bodied with dense, layered black and red fruit, powerful yet finely structured tannins and a long mineral finish. Food pairings include grilled red meats, game, daube or rich stews which complement the wine’s savoury complexity. This Cornas is drinking well now with decanting, yet will continue to evolve and build complexity in the cellar for another decade or more. The 2017 vintage has earned high critical acclaim, including multiple scores in the 95–99 point range, such as a 99 point barrel score from James Suckling and 95+ from Jeb Dunnuck, described by critics as “incredibly rich, layered and seamlessly complete” with majestic length.

"Plenty of sexy graphite and dark stony aromas cast across showy dark fruits seen here, all presented in a vibrant and seductive form. Plenty of spices and fragrant lift, too. The palate is astonishingly rich, layered and seamlessly complete. The tannins are dense, compressed and commanding, whereas the tension is entrancing. Flavors run from red to darker fruits. The finish is already long and majestic. Exceptional wine. Barrel sample." James Suckling 98/99