2019 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas (9/4/2024)
Decanted 2 hrs(?). From the get go, this 19 Clape absolutely floored me. The aromatical first encounter announced with clear certainty this was going to be special, so well defining what a great, superlative Cornas can achieve: loads of quality abound: sauvage, whisps of white pepper, you could smell the salinity and it really did come across as blood like and then mix in some floral edges, and finally some dark plum for good measure. When all of these traits repeated on the palate, game over. A lot of times, especially with modern solar vintages, one praises something along the lines of 'dense, but magically light on its feet'. This was not dense, but agile. It was not extracted but wonderfully layered. This is a baby, but simply gorgeous. I could have easily gone triple digit on this experience, but I'm sure this has room to grow over the next 5 to 15 years. Without question the best young Syrah I have ever tasted. (98 points)
Have you had the 2019 Jamet or Gonon? Curious if you thought the Clape was that much better than them. I liked both, and preferred both to recent vintages (e.g., 17 and 18 of both). I would post my CT notes here, but don’t know how to
Great note that makes me want to seek this out. I feel like Clape has lost some of its allure in the last several years as other Northern Rhone stars have popped up. Still amazing wines.
Love the pairing too. My wife is Persian and I usually pair our Persian dishes with Rhone wines as well.
Good question, I own the 18 and 20 Jamet but have not tried either, nor the 19 Gonon. I’m sure they both are top drawer, without question. Yet, If I could only choose 1 Northern Rhone under $200 clams for 2019, I think it would be Clape, the slightly playful almost feral attribute just hits hits me in a certain way I find oh so appealing.
