Domaine Clape: Cornas vertical tasting from 2017 – 1987
A fortunate visit to Domaine Clape this month allowed Matt Walls the rare chance to taste 13 Cornas bottlings, from a range of library vintages spanning four decades, including the exceptional years of 2001 and 2010....
As you descend the cramped industrial lift shaft that accesses the dark basement of the Clape’s family domaine in Cornas, the dank smell gets increasingly heavy.
As with many ancient cellars the aroma is unique, and echoed faintly the wines: a deeply savoury, earthy perfume. There are rows of ancient bottles covered in tufts of black and white mould, sleeping like baby badgers.
Scroll down for Matt Walls’ Domaine Clape vertical tasting notes and scores
For such an established part of the fine wine universe, it’s easy to forget that the Northern Rhône has only fairly recently been embraced by outsiders – particularly Cornas. Like much of the wider region, these vineyards were largely abandoned after the Second World War in favour of easier work in local factories.
When you survey the slopes you see why: these steep, contorted, granite hillsides are unforgiving. But the Syrah grown in this small southern nook of the Northern Rhône produces an elemental, sometimes savage wine.
Today the appellation is one of the most dynamic in the Northern Rhône, with hurried new plantings taking place. A new generation of producers is now well-established, and there are plenty of thrilling, increasingly elegant wines to choose from.
Like many regions in the Rhône and beyond, Cornas went through a period around the 1990s in which some producers embraced new oak barriques and destemming, but this period is firmly in the past. Today, the trend is towards demi-muids and using at least a proportion of whole bunches.
The wines of Cornas have only been bottled since the 1950s, and Auguste Clape was among the first. The estate has always followed traditional winemaking techniques and continues to do so today. Auguste passed away in 2018, and the estate is now in the steady hands of his son Pierre and grandson Olivier.
They continue to tend to the vineyards that are spread across the historic hillside plots visible from the village, including parcels of top lieux-dits; Sabarotte, Patou, Tézier, Mazards, La Côte and a patch of old vines on one of the very finest sites, the south-facing Reynards. They have never made single vineyard bottlings, and have no intention of doing so. Here they believe in blending.
The Domaine Clape Cornas (it has no cuvée name, sometimes referred to as the ‘grand vin’) is fermented with the stems in raw concrete tanks. It’s then aged for two years in used 6-8hl wooden foudres.
In 1997, they started making a second wine called ‘Renaissance’, a barrel selection that tends to come from younger vines. The first vintage was ruined by a faulty batch of corks, so really the first vintage is 1998.
They also produce a 100% Syrah Côtes-du-Rhône, a 100% Syrah Vin de France ‘Vin des Amis’ – all from nearby vineyards but not grown within the Cornas appellation – and a very good white from neighbouring appellation Saint-Péray.
I visit them every year to taste from barrel, and in March 2020 they agreed to open a series of older bottles.
It’s relatively uncommon for Northern Rhône producers to hold much library stock, and they happily admit they’ve drunk most of the best old vintages!
It gave us the chance to taste some vintages which weren’t well considered at the time (2002 and 1993 were dire in the Rhône) alongside exceptional years such as 2001 and 2010. It showed that even in lesser vintages this is a wine that never fails to fascinate: an icon in the original sense of the word.
See Matt Walls’ Domaine Clape vertical tasting notes and scores
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Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2017
Bottled October 2019. Little touch of acetate on the nose, which isn't unusual in recent vintages. Powerful and intense on the palate, a really driving,...
2017
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2012
After eight years this is just starting to step into its second phase with some enticing new aromas developing, a touch of soy to the...
2012
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2011
Not an easy vintage. It was cold to start with, then the end of August was very hot, causing some blockages in maturity, and a...
2011
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2010
Highly spiced and smoky on the nose, assertive aromas of balsamic-tinged black fruit, bonfire smoke, sandalwood and smoked duck. On the palate, it's not as...
2010
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2008
600mm of rain in the summer, 'never-ending rain' according to Pierre Clape, leading to mildew in June, rot and dilution at harvest. But like many...
2008
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2003
A heatwave vintage that resulted in atypical wines in the Rhône; some impressive, others deformed. This has a remarkable nose, open now with ladles of...
2003
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2002
A normal vintage until the end when it rained a lot, according to Pierre Clape. It's reflected in the wine, which is dilute on the...
2002
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2001
Wonderful nose – could only be Cornas. In fact, this could only be Clape. Notes of turned earth, iodine, thyme, hot slate, firework smoke. Totally...
2001
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 1999
It was hard to make a bad wine in 1999, says Pierre Clape. There was nothing to do, the grapes ripened to perfection. Aromatically this...
1999
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 1996
A very, very fresh summer, not wet but cold, says Pierre Clape. Autumnal on the nose now, fallen leaves and whiffs of charcuterie. It's a...
1996
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 1995
A small harvest due to coulure. Somewhat animal in style, not the most flattering - soy sauce and grilled meats. It's distinctly high in acidity....
1995
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 1993
Pierre Clape still clearly remembers the disastrous 1993 vintage. 'All went well until the end of August, everyone was happy,' he says. Then a storm...
1993
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 1987
A wet spring caused some coulure, followed by a cool growing season then lots of rain at harvest. Nice sense of finesse and freshness, with...
1987
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2017
Bottled October 2019. Little touch of acetate on the nose, which isn't unusual in recent vintages. Powerful and intense on the palate, a really driving,...
2017
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2012
After eight years this is just starting to step into its second phase with some enticing new aromas developing, a touch of soy to the...
2012
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2011
Not an easy vintage. It was cold to start with, then the end of August was very hot, causing some blockages in maturity, and a...
2011
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2010
Highly spiced and smoky on the nose, assertive aromas of balsamic-tinged black fruit, bonfire smoke, sandalwood and smoked duck. On the palate, it's not as...
2010
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2008
600mm of rain in the summer, 'never-ending rain' according to Pierre Clape, leading to mildew in June, rot and dilution at harvest. But like many...
2008
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2003
A heatwave vintage that resulted in atypical wines in the Rhône; some impressive, others deformed. This has a remarkable nose, open now with ladles of...
2003
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2002
A normal vintage until the end when it rained a lot, according to Pierre Clape. It's reflected in the wine, which is dilute on the...
2002
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 2001
Wonderful nose – could only be Cornas. In fact, this could only be Clape. Notes of turned earth, iodine, thyme, hot slate, firework smoke. Totally...
2001
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 1999
It was hard to make a bad wine in 1999, says Pierre Clape. There was nothing to do, the grapes ripened to perfection. Aromatically this...
1999
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 1996
A very, very fresh summer, not wet but cold, says Pierre Clape. Autumnal on the nose now, fallen leaves and whiffs of charcuterie. It's a...
1996
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 1995
A small harvest due to coulure. Somewhat animal in style, not the most flattering - soy sauce and grilled meats. It's distinctly high in acidity....
1995
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 1993
Pierre Clape still clearly remembers the disastrous 1993 vintage. 'All went well until the end of August, everyone was happy,' he says. Then a storm...
1993
Domaine ClapeCornas
Domaine Clape, Cornas, Rhône, France, 1987
A wet spring caused some coulure, followed by a cool growing season then lots of rain at harvest. Nice sense of finesse and freshness, with...
1987
Domaine ClapeCornas
