Blog » Auguste Clape
-
Bona Fide Cornas: Domaine Auguste Clape 1988-2016
Last July's visit through the Northern Rhone anxiously started in Burgundy when I hit the road at dawn on my birthday and drove south. Short on sleep from the night's festivities, but the anticipation for the next chapter on the tour was all the fuel I needed. First stop: Domaine Auguste Clape.Posted by Alexander Rosen
Today, I'm happy to offer wines from the legendary Cornas family, stretching from 1988 to 2016.
Finding adequate words to place Auguste Clape into the context of Northern Rhone's history is difficult. Eric Asimov does a much better job. Of course, being the original producer in Cornas to bottle under his own label is a notch on the belt. And, having worked exclusively by hand on these treacherously steep terraces is another. Sadly, the day after my visit with his son Pierre-Marie, Auguste Clape passed away at 93.
No domaine founded in the birthplace of Syrah captures the soul of its appellation like Clape has with Cornas. Having started with a domaine bottling in 1955 and having stopped all négociant sales in 1968, Auguste Clape is a pioneer of the Rhone joined in ranks with names like Verset, Trollat, and Juge.
Clape's 5.5 hectares of vines in Cornas cover over 10 parcels, such as Reynard and Chaillot from Allemand fame, as well as Nöel Verset's cherished, Sabarotte. This dizzying array of Cornas terroir plays a huge role in the success that's spanned so many decades here. The wines are produced in the most traditional fashion with 100% whole cluster fermentation and aging in old barrels, with the two Cornas cuvées seeing 22 months in large foudre.
The style of the domaine has always been one that's pushed for maximum ripeness, choosing to pick at the last moment before the ominous fall rains begin. This style of fruit-forward Cornas coming from porous granite soils endow the wines with tremendous structure, but with a pleasurable side of lusciousness. Unlike Hermitage and Côte Rôtie, the argument is often made that of the Big 3, Cornas offers an up-front approachability thanks to its southern and warm amphitheater setting. However, the typical savage scorched earth quality where Cornas derives its name is the foundation of the wines from this fabled domaine.
Tasting through each parcel and visiting the vines with Pierre-Marie was a window into a time long ago. Methods and settings have remained unaltered. There hadn't been rain for some time, and just maintaining footing on these steep slopes was a challenge, as both of us used a grasp on the échelas stakes for support.
In the cellar, tasting 2017 in foudre back through bottles from the 90's was a great lesson in the transformation of the wines. The highlight may have been that 2017 barrel sample of the isolated 80-yr-old, 1.2 hectare Reynard parcel. A concentrated and chiseled beast from the robust 2017 Northern Rhone vintage.
Côtes du Rhone is 100% Syrah from 30-50-yr-old vines. 100% whole cluster fermented. Aged 6 months in cement, and another 6 months in foudre. 2% is comprised of free fun juice from young vine Cornas.
Cornas is sourced from 30-60 yr-old vines. 100% whole cluster fermented. Aged 22 months in 6 or 22 hl-foudres.
Cornas Renaissance is sourced from younger vines. Fermentation and aging is the same as the Cornas.- 1988, 1993, 1995, 2015, 2016, Auguste Clape, Clape, Cornas, Cotes du Rhone, France, Francomar, Northern Rhone, Renaissance, Rhone
Recent Articles
-
Bona Fide Cornas: Domaine Auguste Clape 1988-2016 September 21, 2019
Tags
- 1.5
- 1.5l
- 1964
- 1967
- 1968
- 1969
- 1970
- 1973
- 1976
- 1978
- 1979
- 1985
- 1988
- 1989
- 1990
- 1991
- 1992
- 1993
- 1994
- 1995
- 1996
- 1997
- 1998
- 1999
- 1er
- 1er cru
- 2000
- 2001
- 2004
- 2005
- 2006
- 2007
- 2008
- 2009
- 2010
- 2011
- 2012
- 2013
- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 3L
- 4 Monos
- 6 pack
- 750
- 890
- 904
- abrossar
- Abruzzo
- al
- alain
- albarin
- Albarino
- albe
- Albillo
- Alex Foillard
- Alfredo Maestro
- alicante bouchet
- Aligote
- Allemand
- Alsace
- Alto Piemonte
- alzinger
- Amarone
- American Oak
- Amity
- amphore
- Anjou
- antle vineyard
- Antonio galloni
- arbois
- Arbois-Pupillin
- Argentina
- Arinto
- arnot roberts
- asili
- atalier
- atoine foucault
- Aubert de Villaine
- Auguste Clape
- auslese
- austria
- austrian
- Aux Malconsorts
- auxey duresses
- avize
- avni
- ayler
- baby margaux
- back vintage
- Baden
- Baga
- bairrada
- Bandol
- Barbaresco
- Barbera
- barbera d'alba
- Barolo
- Barraida
- barrigards
- bartelemy
- Basque Country
- Basso
- bastardo
- Bates Ranch
- BB
- Beaujolais
- Beaujolais-Villages
- beaune
- beauroy
- Beer
- Belgium
- Benanti
- benchmark
- benje tinto
- bernard
- Beru
- Bianco
- Bien Nacido
- bienvenues batard
- Bierzo
- bilbro
- bildstock
- Biodynamic
- biondi
- blanc
- blanc de blancs
- blanco
- blau
- Blot
- blue fruit
- Bockenauer
- boisson
- Bordeaux
- Bordeaux Blend
- Botti
- boudignon
- boudots
- boulay
- Bourgogne
- bourgogne blanc
- Bourgueil
- Bramaterra
- Branco
- bressandes
- bretonniere
- Breze
- brunate
- brunate-Le coste
- brune
- Brunello di Montalcino
- brut
- brut nature
- bruyeres
- bugundy
- bunker hill
- burguet
- Burgundy
- Cabernet Franc
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- california
- Campania
- Canary Islands
- canneyt
- Cannonau
- cannubi
- cannubi (san lorenzo)
- cappuccio
- Carbonic
- Carignan
- carinyena
- carmenere
- caroline morey
- Carricante
- Cascina
- Cascina Francia
- Cassis
- castell
- cava
- Caves San Joao
- celler
- ceps centenaires
- Cerasuolo
- Cerasuolo di Vittoria
- certified
- Chablis
- chache
- Chaillot
- chalk
- chambertin
- Chambeyron
- chambolle
- Chambolle Musigny
- Chambolle-Musigny
- Champagne
- champange
- champans
- champs gains
- chapelle des bois
- Chardonnay
- chardoonay
- Charlemagne
- charlie trotter
- charlopin
- charpentrie
- charvin
- Chassagne Montrachet
- chateau
- Chateau Chalon
- Chateau Thivin
- Chateauneuf du Pape
- Chateauneuf-du-Pape
- Chavignol
- Chehalem Mountains
- Chenas
- chenin
- Chenin Blanc
- Cherbaudes
- chevalier montrachet
- chianti
- Chianti Classico
- Chichee
- Chiroubles
- chiusa spagnolo
- Christiane
- Christoph Schaefer
- Cider
- citrine
- Clairette
- Clape
- Clear Lake
- clos
- Clos David
- clos de guichaux
- Clos de la Grand Coeur
- clos de la grand cour
- clos de la marchale
- Clos de la Rue
- clos des aigrots
- clos des chenes
- Clos des Ducs
- clos du bourg
- Clos du Chapitre
- clos du chateau des ducs
- clos du roy
- Clos du Verseuil
- CLos Prieur
- clos rougeard
- Clos Saint-Joseph
- clos st. jacques
- Clos Vougeot
- Club de Cosechadores
- co
- Coastal
- Colin
- collier
- Collio
- collio goriziano
- Collita Roja
- Columbia Gorge
- Combe Aux Moines
- combottes
- Comtes Lafon
- conterno
- contrada
- contrada barbabecchi
- contrada campo RE
- contrada feudo di mezzo
- contrada zottorinoto
- Cool Climate
- Coombsville
- Corison
- Cornas
- cornelissen
- cornu
- cortese
- corton
- corton-bressandes
- coste
- Cotat
- cote
- Cote Brune
- Cote d'Or
- Cote de Beaune
- Cote de Brouilly
- cote de nuits
- Cote Rotie
- Côte-Rôtie
- coteaux champenois
- Coteaux de Dijon
- Cotes de Provence
- Cotes du Jura
- Cotes du Rhone
- coulee de serrant
- CR
- Crinquand
- crozes
- Crozes-Hermitage
- cru
- cry
- CS
- cuvee
- cuvee alexandrine
- cuvee reserve
- Cuvee Syrah
- Cuvee Tradition
- cuvee vigne alte
- d'alba
- D'Angerville
- Dagueneau
- Dauvissat
- dd
- de
- De Montille
- de valtuille
- del
- dessus
- dexter
- Dijon
- Dogliani
- Dolcetto
- Dolomites
- domaine
- Domaine Chave
- Domaine de la Cadette
- Domaine du Bagnol
- domestic
- dominik Huber
- dominique
- Domprobst
- double magnum
- dry
- Dry Riesling
- duc des nauves
- Dujac
- dutraive
- east block
- Ecueil
- edmond
- Eichberg
- el rapolao
- electric
- emilien
- En Champans
- En Combe Roy
- encinas
- enfield
- enfield wine co
- Eola
- Eola-Amity Hills
- eric
- Eric Asimov
- estate
- Etna
- extra brut
- fass 12
- fass 7
- faviken
- fellom ranch
- Felseneck
- Female Winemaker
- Fiano
- Fixin
- Fleurie
- Fontanasanta
- food tread
- for ross-seaview
- Foradori
- forest
- forets
- fossati
- fourrier
- fox hill
- France
- francesco
- Francia
- Francomar
- frank
- Frappato
- Frauenberg
- frederic
- Freisa
- French Alps
- fresh
- freu
- Friulano
- Friuli
- Frohlich
- Fronholz
- fruity
- Fuoripista
- Galicia
- Gamay
- Gang of Four
- Garnacha
- Gattinara
- Genevrieres
- gerard
- German
- Germany
- gevrey chambertin
- Gevrey-Chambertin
- geyserville
- GG
- Ghemme
- Giacomo
- Gigondas
- Gilles
- giulia
- giuseppe
- Glou Glou
- gnemiz
- godello
- gold standard
- Goldkapsel
- Goulots
- Gour de Chaule
- Graach
- gran reserva
- Granato
- grance
- Grand Cru
- Granite Terroir
- graviers
- Grenache
- Grenache Gris
- greves
- Grille midi
- griotte
- Griotte Chambertin
- grolleau
- Grosjean
- Grosses Gewachs
- Grotte Alte
- Grower Champagne
- gruenchers
- gruner veltliner
- gruyaches
- GSM Blend
- guiberteau
- hajo
- halbtrocken
- Haro
- haut
- haut medoc
- haute-cotes de beaune
- Hautes cote de nuits
- hayne vineyard
- haynes
- haynes chardonnay
- hectare
- henri jayer
- hermitage
- Hermitage Blanc
- Hermtage
- heron lake
- Hills
- himmelreich
- hope well
- Hubacker
- hubert
- huet
- IGT
- indiana jones
- italian
- Italy
- Jacky
- jacques
- jean luc
- jean-marie
- jeroboam
- jewel
- joao
- john lockwood
- joly
- Jon Bonne
- Jura
- kabinett
- Kallstadter
- Keller
- Kermit Lynch
- Kimmeridgian Soil
- king
- kings vineyard
- kirschenmann
- Klaus Peter Keller
- koehler
- koehler-ruprecht
- Kronos Vineyard
- kupp
- kye
- l'esprit
- l'etonnat monsieur victor
- l;ultime
- La Bidode
- La Charme Aux Pretes
- la charmes aux pretres
- La Chatelaine
- la claudrina
- la del vivo
- la fresnaye
- la Geynale
- La guiraude
- la madonne
- La Rioja Alta
- la ripaille
- la taille aux loups
- la vitoriana
- lafarge
- Lambic
- langhe
- Languedoc
- Late Release
- Lavaux Saint Jacques
- le chapitre
- le clos
- le coste
- le haut-lieu
- le mesnil
- le mont
- Le Pied de la Rue
- le poutet
- le pur
- Left Bank Bordeaux
- leroy
- les arboises
- Les Arvelets
- Les Barrigards
- les beaux regards
- les caillerets
- Les Cazetiers
- les champs canet
- les champs perdrix
- Les Chapaudaises
- les chaumees
- les chevalieres
- Les Crais
- les cran
- Les Fuees
- Les Grandes Places
- Les Grands Epenots
- les longeroies
- Les macherelles
- les manyes
- Les Minots
- Les Mitans
- les monts fournois
- les motelles
- les moulins
- Les Pallieres
- Les petits Vougeots
- les peyrouses
- Les Pezerolles
- Les Riceys
- les rieux
- Les Rugiens
- Les Rugiens-Bas
- Les Sentiers
- Les Suchots
- Les Taillepieds
- les tosses
- Lessona
- library
- Lieu Dit en Papolet
- lieu-dit
- Limestone
- limit
- lisbon
- little hill
- little hillwest block
- loibner
- loire
- Loire Valley
- Louis/Dressner
- low sulphur
- lust
- lytton springs
- Macabeau
- Macon
- Madrid
- magic
- Magma
- magnum
- mailloche
- malbec
- Malvasia
- Manzoni Bianco
- Marc Roy
- margaux
- marl
- marsannay
- marsanne rousanne
- martinenga
- Mascarello
- Mazis-Chambertin
- McKinlay
- mead ranch
- Mediterranean
- medoc
- Melon
- Melon de Bourgogne
- mencia
- mendocino
- Mercurey
- Merlot
- Mersault
- mes favorites
- Meursault
- michel lafarge
- mimis mind
- mind bending
- mix pack
- moccagatta
- monfortino
- monopole
- Mont Blanc
- Montagne de Reims
- Montalcino
- montbenault
- Monte bello
- montee de tonnere
- Montee de Tonnerre
- Montefalco
- montefico
- Montepulciano
- montevertine
- Monthelie
- montmains
- montrachet
- monttrachet
- morey
- Morey Saint Denis
- Morey-Saint-Denis
- Morgon
- Mosel
- moulin de tricot
- mount eden
- mountains
- Mourvedre
- Muenchberg
- mugnier
- munjebel
- Muscadet
- musigny
- musingy
- Nahe
- napa
- Napa Valley
- Naples
- narvaux
- native yeast
- natur
- Natural Wine
- Neal Martin
- Neal Rosenthal
- Nebbiolo
- nerello
- Nerello Mascalese
- Nero d'Avola
- Nero di Lupo
- New California
- New York Times
- no additives
- No Sulfur
- non-vintage
- north coast
- Northen Rhone
- northern California
- Northern Rhone
- Nosiola
- nouvelle R
- Nuits
- nuits saint george
- nuits saint georges
- Nuits-Saint-Georges
- NV
- Oak Knoll District
- oberberg
- Occhipinti
- off dry
- oger
- Old School
- old vine
- Old Vines
- Old World
- Orange
- Oregon
- organic
- Ostertag
- oubilee
- outis
- outlier
- Overnoy
- PA
- Pardas
- paso robles
- Passetoutgrain
- Patagonia
- patchwork
- Patrick Baudouin
- pearl
- Peñafiel
- Penedes
- pergole torte
- pernand vergelesses
- Perrieres
- peter martin ray
- petillant
- petit verdot
- Petite Arvine
- petite syrah
- Peyrouses
- Pezerolles
- Pfalz
- Pfersigberg
- pian del ciampolo
- pie
- Piedmont
- piedmontese
- pierre
- pierre gonon
- Pietra Marina
- pigs stomach
- Pineau d'Aunis
- Pinot Grigio
- pinot gris
- pinot meunier
- Pinot Noir
- piuze
- Ploussard
- Poco do Lobo
- Pommard
- ponca
- porcaria
- porto
- Portugal
- poruzots
- poruzots-dessus
- Poulsard
- premier
- premier cru
- premier cry
- pretty horses
- priorat
- Produttori
- produttori del barbaresco
- Provence
- PT
- Puligny Montrachet
- Puligny-Montrachet
- pycm
- QBA
- qualitatswein
- R
- rabaja
- Rajat Parr
- raul perez
- ravera
- red
- red blend
- reduction
- reflet d'Antan
- Regnie
- reiserva speciale
- remensis rose
- remi jobard
- Renaissance
- reserva
- reserve
- rheinberg
- rheingau
- Rheinhessen
- Rhone
- rias baixas
- Ribeira Sacra
- Ribolla Gialla
- Ridge
- ried
- Riesling
- right bank
- Rioja
- riserva
- Robert michel
- Roccalini
- rodchen
- romanee
- ronco
- rosae
- Rose
- rose-marie
- rosso
- Rouge
- Rougeard
- Roussillon
- RR
- rubicon
- ruprecht
- russian river
- ruwer
- Ruwer Valley
- Saar
- Sagrantino
- saint
- Saint Amour
- Saint Aubin
- saint emilion
- Saint Esteph
- saint jacques
- saint joseph
- Saint-Aubin
- Saint-Joseph
- San Fereolo
- san lorenzo
- San Zuan
- Sancerre
- Sangiovese
- sans soufre
- Santa Barbara County
- Santa Cruz
- Santa Cruz Mountains
- Santa Maria Valley
- Santa Rita Hills
- santenay
- Sardinia
- Sashi Moorman
- Saumaged
- saumagen
- Saumur
- Sauvignon Blanc
- savagnin
- Savoie
- Schafer
- Schäfer-Fröhlich
- Schoenfels
- sec
- sekt
- senior
- sergio manetti
- Serine
- Sgarzon
- Siccagno
- Sicily
- Sierra de Gredos
- Sigaut
- singular
- singulier
- sisters
- sitges
- Skin Contact
- Skin Fermented White
- Slate
- small production
- smaragd
- sol
- Sonoma
- Sonoma Coast
- Sour Beer
- sous fretille
- sous la tour
- Southern France
- Southern Rhone
- SP68
- Spain
- sparkling
- Spatburgunder
- spatlese
- spicy
- st. amour
- st. helena
- Sta. Rita Hills
- stater west
- steinertal
- stems
- strawberry
- summer of riesling
- Super Tuscan
- Superiore
- supernova
- sweetwater
- sylvain pataiile
- Sylvain Pataille
- Syrah
- Taille aux loups
- Taillepieds
- tegan passalacqua
- tegernseerhof
- temple of doom
- tempranillo
- Teroldego
- Terrasse du Diable
- Terroir
- Tesson
- Thanksgiving
- The New Spain
- the plow
- thibaud
- thomas savre
- three corner
- thunder mountain
- tinto
- tintorera
- tissier
- tocai
- Torrette
- torroja
- toscana
- Touriga Nacional
- tre tine
- Trebbiano
- Trentino
- tribut
- triennes
- trocken
- trois cepage
- trousseau
- tuffeau
- turley
- Tuscany
- ulteria
- Umbria
- UNESCO
- unicorn tears
- USA
- VA
- vacheron
- vadot
- Vaillons
- vajra
- val
- Vallee d'Aoste
- valmur
- Valpolicella
- Value
- Vare Vineyrad
- Vatan
- vdf
- Veneto
- venezia
- Verduno
- vergers
- Vermentino
- Vermouth
- Verzy
- vezelay
- vi
- Vieilles Vignes
- vielles vignes
- Vigne Rovettaz
- village
- Villages
- villet
- vin de france
- Vina Ardanza
- Vina Ardanza Late Release
- vineyard
- Vinous
- Viognier
- violet
- Volnay
- volnay vendanges selectionnees
- vosne
- Vosne Romanee
- Vosne-Romanee
- Vougeot
- Vouvray
- wachau
- walkenberg
- waterhorse ridge
- Watson Ranch Chardonnay
- weiss
- west block
- white
- White Burgundy
- Whole Cluster
- Willamette
- Willamette Valley
- Willi Schaefer
- wine
- wine advocate
- World Heritage Site
- Xarello
- yann
- young
- yves
- Zellberg
- Zero Sulfur
- Zev Rovine
- Zinfandel