Wine Advisor
Auguste Clape, Cornas 2023
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Stuart Pigott
Although this wine definitely belongs to the deep end of Cornas with its great density and very compact core, the tannins are wonderfully plush, seeming to melt in the extremely long, crisp and stony finish. Still really young, but who can resist the appeal of the violet aroma?
Reviewed by: Yohan Castaing
Bottled just one month before my tasting, Clape’s 2023 Cornas opens with a deep, introverted bouquet of cassis, mulberries and licorice mingled with carnal notes. Medium- to full-bodied, dense and structured, it’s built around a firm, somewhat austere palate with a good chassis of youthful tannins that lead to a spicy, lead pencil-inflected finish. Despite its brooding character, it should benefit from time in the cellar.
About the Producer
Domaine Auguste Clape is located in the Rhone Valley region of France. The estate was founded by the Clape Family and is now run by Pierre-Marie Clape and Oliver Clape. Château Auguste Clapa now has 8 hectares of vineyards, all on terraces within the Colnas appellation. Due to the steep terrain of the vineyards, plantation management is carried out by hand. There are no formal rules for the vineyard, but rather the most traditional planting patterns, based on intuition, experience and common sense. The vineyard soil is mainly granite and clay, and the main grape varieties are Syrah and Marsanne, with an average vine age of 40 years. The grapes are hand-picked and carefully selected before being used in the production of the wines. The must for the Domaine Auguste Clape Saint-Peray Blanc is fermented in concrete tanks and, after fermentation, the wine is matured in stainless steel tanks for 8 months. The must for the red wines is fermented in large wooden vats and the length of fermentation is usually 12 days. Of these, the Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas and the Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas Renaissance are matured for 22 months in 600 litre or 1,200 litre vats. The Domaine Auguste Clape Cote du Rhone and the Domaine Auguste Clape Le Vin des Aims are matured for 6 months in concrete tanks and large wooden barrels respectively.
