Auguste Clape, Cornas, Rhône Valley, France 2022
Pickup available at DECANT Napa - 2999 Solano, Napa, CA
Usually ready in 1 hour
Auguste Clape was the first producer to bottle estate Cornas, and the family remains one of the appellation’s most revered names. Today, Clape’s wines are the benchmark for traditional northern Rhône Syrah—fermented with whole clusters, aged in old oak, and crafted with a deep respect for terroir and time. Structured, powerful, and built for long aging—15–30 years easily in strong vintages.
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WINEMAKER: Pierre-Marie and Olivier Clape
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FARMING: Practicing organic, with manual work on steep terraces
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VARIETY: 100% Syrah
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TERROIR: A mosaic of 11 parcels across the Cornas appellation, covering approximately 5.5 hectares on decomposed granite (locally known as gore), with south and southeast-facing slopes at high elevations. Sites include Reynard, La Côte, Sabarotte, and others—each contributing distinct structural and aromatic elements.
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VINIFICATION: 100% whole-cluster fermentation with native yeasts in concrete vats. Fermentation lasts about 10–12 days with regular punchdowns. No destemming, no temperature control, no filtration.
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AGING: 22 months in a mix of old foudres and demi-muids (no new oak) before bottling unfined and unfiltered
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TASTING NOTES: Deep and brooding, with aromas of black olive, blackberry compote, violet, smoke, and iron. The palate is dense and structured, with firm tannins and layered notes of cassis, graphite, charred meat, and earth. A wine of serious aging potential and authentic Cornas character.
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FOOD PAIRINGS: Braised short ribs, wild boar ragù, grilled hanger steak, or aged Manchego
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SCORES:
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Wine Advocate: 94–96 – “A superb vintage for Clape, combining power and freshness with aromatic lift. One of the top wines of the year from Cornas.”
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Jeb Dunnuck: 95 – “A classic Cornas with its smoky, meaty, peppery bouquet and dense, structured style.”
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Vinous: 94 – “Expressive and youthfully closed at first, but unfolds with air into something profound and complete.”
-
Auguste Clape was the first producer to bottle estate Cornas, and the family remains one of the appellation’s most revered names. Today, Clape’s wines are the benchmark for traditional northern Rhône Syrah—fermented with whole clusters, aged in old oak, and crafted with a deep respect for terroir and time. Structured, powerful, and built for long aging—15–30 years easily in strong vintages.
-
WINEMAKER: Pierre-Marie and Olivier Clape
-
FARMING: Practicing organic, with manual work on steep terraces
-
VARIETY: 100% Syrah
-
TERROIR: A mosaic of 11 parcels across the Cornas appellation, covering approximately 5.5 hectares on decomposed granite (locally known as gore), with south and southeast-facing slopes at high elevations. Sites include Reynard, La Côte, Sabarotte, and others—each contributing distinct structural and aromatic elements.
-
VINIFICATION: 100% whole-cluster fermentation with native yeasts in concrete vats. Fermentation lasts about 10–12 days with regular punchdowns. No destemming, no temperature control, no filtration.
-
AGING: 22 months in a mix of old foudres and demi-muids (no new oak) before bottling unfined and unfiltered
-
TASTING NOTES: Deep and brooding, with aromas of black olive, blackberry compote, violet, smoke, and iron. The palate is dense and structured, with firm tannins and layered notes of cassis, graphite, charred meat, and earth. A wine of serious aging potential and authentic Cornas character.
-
FOOD PAIRINGS: Braised short ribs, wild boar ragù, grilled hanger steak, or aged Manchego
-
SCORES:
-
Wine Advocate: 94–96 – “A superb vintage for Clape, combining power and freshness with aromatic lift. One of the top wines of the year from Cornas.”
-
Jeb Dunnuck: 95 – “A classic Cornas with its smoky, meaty, peppery bouquet and dense, structured style.”
-
Vinous: 94 – “Expressive and youthfully closed at first, but unfolds with air into something profound and complete.”
-