Domaine Auguste Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2022

Overview the Wine
In the world of wine, there are many good winegrowers. However, there are only a very select few who are truly great, and Auguste Clape will go down in history as one of the greats. A proud and uncompromising pioneer of fine winemaking in the Northern Rhône, his Syrahs from the cru of Cornas have earned their place among the most celebrated wines of France. The Clapes have been vignerons for many generations, but the infamous grower strikes of 1906 and 1907 forced Auguste's grandfather out of the Languedoc and into the Northern Rhône to start anew from practically nothing. The Clapes rebuilt their fortunes, terrace by terrace, along the steep, western slopes of the Rhône River. For many years, the majority of growers in Cornas sold their fruit to négociants. Auguste was the first to bottle his own wine, which eventually paved the way for such contemporary superstars as Thierry Allemand. Without pretense or fanfare, Auguste, the former mayor of Cornas, was a stately picture of grace and magnanimity—a no-nonsense wise man who never rested on his laurels and sought to better himself and his wines each year until his passing in 2018 at the age of 93. Today, his son, Pierre-Marie, and grandson, Olivier, carry on his legacy with honor and integrity.

Winemakers
Pierre-Marie and Olivier Clape 

Grape / Blend
Syrah

Origin
Rhône, France

Tasting Notes
Auguste Clape’s Cornas bottling is a benchmark not only of the region but of all high quality Syrah made in the world. The wine is peppery and meaty with notes of black olives and spice rub mixed in with an ethereal dried black cherry note.

97 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
The 2022 Cornas isn't going to match the 2020, but we're not far off. Tasted in its individual components, it has the riper yet still focused, structured style of the vintage, with classic aromatics of blue fruits, violets, iron, and ample textbook Clape bloody, meaty nuances. It's not going to be a massive Cornas and is more medium to full-bodied, with ultra-fine tannins and beautiful balance. It's a brilliant Clape in the making, as well as one for the traditionalist out there.

93 Points - Vinous
The 2022 Cornas is both classic and rustic, with hints of ripe black fruits, earthy tones, and leather on the nose. It's full-bodied, fleshy, and expansive, showing elevated flavor concentration. Beefy and monolithic, the 2022 carries an introverted attitude, finishing with firm structure yet plenty of Clape personality. This needs time.

90 Points - Wine Advocate
Bottled in mid-November, the 2022 Cornas from Clape saw the integration of the crop from the cuvée Renaissance due to a challenging flowering period and dry conditions, resulting in a production volume 45% less than usual. Evoking aromas of acetate, nail polish, violets and spices mingled with carnal/animal-like notes, it's dense and firm, with an important chassis of tannins leading to a firm, smoky, somber, meaty and introverted finish, suggesting the presence of phenols, which explains its rustic structure. "It reminds me of 2017," said Olivier Clape.

Product size: 750ml