Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas 2021
Domaine Auguste Clape · Domaine Auguste Clape
Auguste Clape's Cornas is the quintessential expression of how fire — the relentless sun beating down on steep granite slopes — forges an unmistakable identity in Syrah. The 2021 vintage delivers a wine of monumental structure and depth, yet with a refinement that confirms Clape's status as the undisputed master of this appellation. This is a wine that demands patience but rewards handsomely.
Nose
An intense rush of crushed blackberries, cracked black pepper, and smoked game meat rises from the glass. Beneath that primal layer, violet florals and a whiff of struck flint speak to the sun-baked granite terraces where these vines endure. A subtle undercurrent of iron and dried herbs adds complexity.
Palate
The entry is powerful yet precise, delivering concentrated dark fruit wrapped in firm, chalky tannins shaped by decades of old-vine depth. Mid-palate reveals layers of charred rosemary, black olive tapenade, and bitter chocolate. The acidity is taut and bright, keeping the muscular frame in elegant proportion.
Finish
Exceptionally long, with echoes of smoked meat, graphite, and wild thyme lingering alongside fine-grained tannins that promise decades of evolution.
- Varietal
- Syrah
- Blend
- 100% Syrah
- Vineyards
- Old vines across multiple parcels on the steep granite hillsides of the Cornas appellation, including some vines over 80 years old
- Alcohol
- 13.5%
- Organic / Biodynamic
- No
Food Pairing
A slow-roasted leg of lamb rubbed with herbes de Provence, garlic, and anchovy, served alongside gratin dauphinois and roasted root vegetables — the char on the lamb echoes the wine's smoky depth, while the rich fat softens its formidable tannins.
On the scorched granite amphitheater of Cornas, where the sun's fire is trapped and amplified against ancient stone, the Clape family has for generations coaxed Syrah into its most elemental and uncompromising form.
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