2012 Cornas

After greeting Pierre-Marie Clape, I had the opportunity to taste the recent wines alongside his son, Olivier. As noted in last year’s report, the Clapes did not bottle a Cornas Renaissance in 2022 because their younger vines suffered significantly from drought-like conditions. While the overall yields in 2022 were just 25 hectoliters per hectare (hl/ha), they achieved a more generous 38 hl/ha in 2023. Now in bottle, the 2022 Cornas is a full-bodied, fleshy, and expansive red that will require extended time in a cool cellar before it becomes approachable. While the 2022 edges out the 2021 vintage slightly, it does not quite reach the exceptional level of the standout 2020. Switching to the unfinished 2023 barrel samples—both the Cornas Renaissance and Cornas—it was immediately clear that these wines represent a stylistic shift. What stood out most was their firm acidic backbone, reminiscent of cooler vintages like 2021. On reflection, the 2023 reds here may prove even more intriguing than the 2022s, thanks to their distinctive, acidity-driven energy. I’m not suggesting the 2023s are necessarily of higher quality but rather of a different style—more intellectual. Clape himself agreed, remarking, “With a Cornas like 2023, you’d have to go back a long time to find a similar style because of its very distinctive acidic core.” I’m genuinely curious to see how the 2023s will evolve once bottled.

After greeting Pierre-Marie Clape, I had the opportunity to taste the recent wines alongside his son, Olivier. As noted in last year’s report, the Clapes did not bottle a Cornas Renaissance in 2022 because their younger vines suffered significantly from drought-like conditions. While the overall yields in 2022 were just 25 hectoliters per hectare (hl/ha), they achieved a more generous 38 hl/ha in 2023. Now in bottle, the 2022 Cornas is a full-bodied, fleshy, and expansive red that will require extended time in a cool cellar before it becomes approachable. While the 2022 edges out the 2021 vintage slightly, it does not quite reach the exceptional level of the standout 2020. Switching to the unfinished 2023 barrel samples—both the Cornas Renaissance and Cornas—it was immediately clear that these wines represent a stylistic shift. What stood out most was their firm acidic backbone, reminiscent of cooler vintages like 2021. On reflection, the 2023 reds here may prove even more intriguing than the 2022s, thanks to their distinctive, acidity-driven energy. I’m not suggesting the 2023s are necessarily of higher quality but rather of a different style—more intellectual. Clape himself agreed, remarking, “With a Cornas like 2023, you’d have to go back a long time to find a similar style because of its very distinctive acidic core.” I’m genuinely curious to see how the 2023s will evolve once bottled.

While the relentless November rain was pouring outside, Pierre-Marie Clape walked me through the latest wines in their historic cellars. In 2021, harvest took place in the second half of September, roughly three weeks later than in 2022. While the 2021 Vin des Amis and Côtes-du-Rhône didn’t leave a lasting impression, I was positively taken by the 2021 Saint-Péray, Cornas Renaissance and Cornas. Although the two Cornas bottlings are nowhere near the ripeness and concentration of the surrounding vintages, they both offer a refreshing and savory profile. Moving on to 2022, Pierre-Marie Clape and his son Olivier decided not to bottle a Cornas Renaissance, mainly because their younger vines suffered greatly from drought-like conditions and yielded very few grapes. The promising 2022 Cornas reminds Clape of 2017 due to its substance, ripeness and tannic structure. Although both the 2021 and 2022 Cornas are fine renditions of this cuvée in their own right, neither can keep up with the dazzling 2020. Although both the 2021 and 2022 Cornas are fine renditions of this cuvée in their own right, neither can keep up with the dazzling 2020. The key to Clapes Cornas wines is patience. Don’t even think about popping a cork until around eight years of bottle age. I vividly remember a 2010 Cornas when it was only four years old–it simply didn’t reveal itself, even after hours of decanting. Going back to 2021, Clape shared that this vintage reminds him of the light and fresh wines he and his late father Auguste made in the 1970s: To round things up, Clape opened a 2002, which, although past its prime, held together remarkably well. It proved the point that no matter how difficult the vintage, the Clapes have things under control.

While the relentless November rain was pouring outside, Pierre-Marie Clape walked me through the latest wines in their historic cellars. In 2021, harvest took place in the second half of September, roughly three weeks later than in 2022. While the 2021 Vin des Amis and Côtes-du-Rhône didn’t leave a lasting impression, I was positively taken by the 2021 Saint-Péray, Cornas Renaissance and Cornas. Although the two Cornas bottlings are nowhere near the ripeness and concentration of the surrounding vintages, they both offer a refreshing and savory profile. Moving on to 2022, Pierre-Marie Clape and his son Olivier decided not to bottle a Cornas Renaissance, mainly because their younger vines suffered greatly from drought-like conditions and yielded very few grapes. The promising 2022 Cornas reminds Clape of 2017 due to its substance, ripeness and tannic structure. Although both the 2021 and 2022 Cornas are fine renditions of this cuvée in their own right, neither can keep up with the dazzling 2020. Although both the 2021 and 2022 Cornas are fine renditions of this cuvée in their own right, neither can keep up with the dazzling 2020. The key to Clapes Cornas wines is patience. Don’t even think about popping a cork until around eight years of bottle age. I vividly remember a 2010 Cornas when it was only four years old–it simply didn’t reveal itself, even after hours of decanting. Going back to 2021, Clape shared that this vintage reminds him of the light and fresh wines he and his late father Auguste made in the 1970s: To round things up, Clape opened a 2002, which, although past its prime, held together remarkably well. It proved the point that no matter how difficult the vintage, the Clapes have things under control.

Olivier Clape told me that he thinks his family’s 2020s, which were still not bottled when I visited in April, deserve patience. If one thing is for sure at Domaine A. Clape, there’s no rush to get the wines into bottle or out in the market, at least for the two Cornas. I have found that Renaissance is inching closer and closer to the grand vin in quality, especially if one puts value on earlier drinking. That was definitely the case with the 2019 and 2018 vintages, but, as usual, the “classic” Cornas can be a tricky wine to judge early on.

While the relentless November rain was pouring outside, Pierre-Marie Clape walked me through the latest wines in their historic cellars. In 2021, harvest took place in the second half of September, roughly three weeks later than in 2022. While the 2021 Vin des Amis and Côtes-du-Rhône didn’t leave a lasting impression, I was positively taken by the 2021 Saint-Péray, Cornas Renaissance and Cornas. Although the two Cornas bottlings are nowhere near the ripeness and concentration of the surrounding vintages, they both offer a refreshing and savory profile. Moving on to 2022, Pierre-Marie Clape and his son Olivier decided not to bottle a Cornas Renaissance, mainly because their younger vines suffered greatly from drought-like conditions and yielded very few grapes. The promising 2022 Cornas reminds Clape of 2017 due to its substance, ripeness and tannic structure. Although both the 2021 and 2022 Cornas are fine renditions of this cuvée in their own right, neither can keep up with the dazzling 2020. Although both the 2021 and 2022 Cornas are fine renditions of this cuvée in their own right, neither can keep up with the dazzling 2020. The key to Clapes Cornas wines is patience. Don’t even think about popping a cork until around eight years of bottle age. I vividly remember a 2010 Cornas when it was only four years old–it simply didn’t reveal itself, even after hours of decanting. Going back to 2021, Clape shared that this vintage reminds him of the light and fresh wines he and his late father Auguste made in the 1970s: To round things up, Clape opened a 2002, which, although past its prime, held together remarkably well. It proved the point that no matter how difficult the vintage, the Clapes have things under control.

Olivier Clape told me that he thinks his family’s 2020s, which were still not bottled when I visited in April, deserve patience. If one thing is for sure at Domaine A. Clape, there’s no rush to get the wines into bottle or out in the market, at least for the two Cornas. I have found that Renaissance is inching closer and closer to the grand vin in quality, especially if one puts value on earlier drinking. That was definitely the case with the 2019 and 2018 vintages, but, as usual, the “classic” Cornas can be a tricky wine to judge early on.

Olivier Clape told me that he thinks his family’s 2020s, which were still not bottled when I visited in April, deserve patience. If one thing is for sure at Domaine A. Clape, there’s no rush to get the wines into bottle or out in the market, at least for the two Cornas. I have found that Renaissance is inching closer and closer to the grand vin in quality, especially if one puts value on earlier drinking. That was definitely the case with the 2019 and 2018 vintages, but, as usual, the “classic” Cornas can be a tricky wine to judge early on.

When I tasted the 2019s and 2018s with Pierre-Marie Clape, he offered the opinion that “the 2019s have things in common with 2015 and 2010, but the tannins don’t come at you so aggressively and there’s also more freshness to them.” He thinks that the 2018s have similar qualities but noted that, in Cornas, the yield was very low, so there can be “a more backward character than you have with the 2019s, at least in this region.” Talking about aging when it comes to this domaine’s wines is amusing, and also interesting, he said, “because even in a lighter year, which we don’t seem to be getting anymore, our Cornas is good for at least 20 years, and most of the time it isn’t ready to go before it is 10 years old.”

Olivier Clape told me that he thinks his family’s 2020s, which were still not bottled when I visited in April, deserve patience. If one thing is for sure at Domaine A. Clape, there’s no rush to get the wines into bottle or out in the market, at least for the two Cornas. I have found that Renaissance is inching closer and closer to the grand vin in quality, especially if one puts value on earlier drinking. That was definitely the case with the 2019 and 2018 vintages, but, as usual, the “classic” Cornas can be a tricky wine to judge early on.

When I tasted the 2019s and 2018s with Pierre-Marie Clape, he offered the opinion that “the 2019s have things in common with 2015 and 2010, but the tannins don’t come at you so aggressively and there’s also more freshness to them.” He thinks that the 2018s have similar qualities but noted that, in Cornas, the yield was very low, so there can be “a more backward character than you have with the 2019s, at least in this region.” Talking about aging when it comes to this domaine’s wines is amusing, and also interesting, he said, “because even in a lighter year, which we don’t seem to be getting anymore, our Cornas is good for at least 20 years, and most of the time it isn’t ready to go before it is 10 years old.”

Pierre-Marie and Olivier Clape have, unsurprisingly, made the most of the 2018 and 2017 vintages. They produced wines that show the ripeness that marks both years with plenty of freshness and good structure as well. Pierre-Marie Clape said that what distinguished 2017 “was how hot and dry it was in the summer and, especially, how low the yields were, just 27 hl/ha instead of what we usually get, which is more like 37 hl/ha.” It was low enough to decide not to produce the Renaissance bottling of Cornas. He also noted that the grapes were smaller than normal, thus increasing skin-to-juice ratios but “luckily, that didn’t have too great an effect on increased tannins.” Indeed, he pointed out that this probably helped to give the wines desirable structure and ensured that they weren’t “like some hot-vintage wines, with too much weight and not enough solidity.” At this point the Clapes are highly optimistic about their 2018s, which, as was the case across the appellation, “finally got a good amount of winter rain, plus some more in late spring, and gave a healthy yield, which was a relief,” Pierre-Marie Clape said. Olivier Clape added that while there’s plenty of richness in the 2018s “it’s not like 2017 because there’s also freshness and precision.” Like a number of his colleagues he said that at this early stage the wines look to be a “marriage of 2017 for the power and 2016 for the energy.” The Clape wines are never short on power, and the 2017s and 2018s are no exception.

Comparing 2017 to 2018, Pierre-Marie Clape said that the 2017s “really deserve more time.” They have pretty serious concentration and structure, he told me, “from the thick skins, and there was a very low yield, while the fruit in 2018 gave more juice, which balances the tannins.” He ventured that the 2017s deserve “10 years of aging, at a minimum, so that the tannins can relax.” Note that there was no Cornas Renaissance made in 2017, as "there just wasn't enough yield and the fresher fruit that’s usually selected for the Renaissance brought energy to the classic Cornas." Value-conscious readers should start looking for Clape’s 2018 Vin de Amis and Côtes-du-Rhône bottlings, which deliver solid value for their quality and Clape pedigree. Both of those wines have a loyal, long-time following, though, so they won’t be easy to track down.

Pierre-Marie and Olivier Clape have, unsurprisingly, made the most of the 2018 and 2017 vintages. They produced wines that show the ripeness that marks both years with plenty of freshness and good structure as well. Pierre-Marie Clape said that what distinguished 2017 “was how hot and dry it was in the summer and, especially, how low the yields were, just 27 hl/ha instead of what we usually get, which is more like 37 hl/ha.” It was low enough to decide not to produce the Renaissance bottling of Cornas. He also noted that the grapes were smaller than normal, thus increasing skin-to-juice ratios but “luckily, that didn’t have too great an effect on increased tannins.” Indeed, he pointed out that this probably helped to give the wines desirable structure and ensured that they weren’t “like some hot-vintage wines, with too much weight and not enough solidity.” At this point the Clapes are highly optimistic about their 2018s, which, as was the case across the appellation, “finally got a good amount of winter rain, plus some more in late spring, and gave a healthy yield, which was a relief,” Pierre-Marie Clape said. Olivier Clape added that while there’s plenty of richness in the 2018s “it’s not like 2017 because there’s also freshness and precision.” Like a number of his colleagues he said that at this early stage the wines look to be a “marriage of 2017 for the power and 2016 for the energy.” The Clape wines are never short on power, and the 2017s and 2018s are no exception.

Pierre-Marie Clape told me he finds 2016 to be “a vintage of freshness and tenderness” because the balance of fruit and tannins is “so harmonious.” Clape noted the bright acidity that marks so many wines, “will also help them age well.” During my last visit I was able to go through some barrels of 2017 wines from the usual vineyards that make up the domaine’s two Cornas bottlings, all of which had recently completed their malolactic fermentations. Clape is less sanguine about the ‘17s than the ‘16s (or the ‘15s, for that matter) as he is wary of the ripeness achieved by much of the fruit in the region. “If things go well, we’ll probably have another 2009, which would be a great thing,” he told me, “but in a lot of vineyards the fruit came in with a pH in the 3.8 range, an issue if you want to make the energetic and detailed wines we do.”

After the massive, built-for-the ages 2015s made here, Pierre-Marie Clape said that this benchmark domaine’s 2016 bottlings “show that Cornas can be elegant, not just masculine and massive.” These are by no means delicate wines but, in comparison to most vintages, there’s a greater degree of finesse and a finer grain to the tannins than usual. I detected the usual Clape power and structure, but found this vintage’s wines showing more fruit to the fore than usual. Smart buyers know to look for Clape’s Côtes-du-Rhône, which, like his Cornas bottlings, is made entirely with whole clusters. It is sourced from vineyards that are located at the southern end of the Cornas appellation, on the river side of the highway, and include a majority of vines that were planted back in the 1890s.

Pierre-Marie Clape told me he finds 2016 to be “a vintage of freshness and tenderness” because the balance of fruit and tannins is “so harmonious.” Clape noted the bright acidity that marks so many wines, “will also help them age well.” During my last visit I was able to go through some barrels of 2017 wines from the usual vineyards that make up the domaine’s two Cornas bottlings, all of which had recently completed their malolactic fermentations. Clape is less sanguine about the ‘17s than the ‘16s (or the ‘15s, for that matter) as he is wary of the ripeness achieved by much of the fruit in the region. “If things go well, we’ll probably have another 2009, which would be a great thing,” he told me, “but in a lot of vineyards the fruit came in with a pH in the 3.8 range, an issue if you want to make the energetic and detailed wines we do.”

“A very serious vintage but not as forbidding as 2010 and 2005” is how Pierre-Marie Clape and his son Olivier described 2015 to me. They caution that the wines really deserve patience before they can fully express their inherent complexity, “especially because the fruit is so expressive and needs to calm down,” according to Olivier. “But you probably won’t regret opening them too young, which you did with the ‘05s and the ‘10s, which are still closed.” He followed up by generalizing that “the wines are rich but vibrant, so in a style that people who like elegant wines are going to enjoy even though they’re quite substantial.” The Clape 2015s are indeed deeply concentrated wines and while I agree with the Clapes’ assertion that they will hold appeal for most any Rhône lover, it’s their elegant 2016s, which I also tasted from casks here in their very primary stages, that should really please those who prize elegance in their Cornas. More to follow as those wines mature, of course.

I tasted with both Pierre-Marie and Olivier Clape this year. The vineyards had just received a welcome, soaking rain and Olivier was going to have to wait a day or so before being sent back up into the vines while his father “gets to entertain people in the cellar." Once again, because of the timing of my visit I was able to taste three vintages here -- 2015, 2014 and 2013 -- and they all look to be outstanding in their own distinct way. The vibrancy of the '13s will allow them to age smoothly, Olivier thinks, while the richness of the 2014s and, probably, 2015s will make them enjoyable on the young side, the '15s likely being the better candidates for long-term cellaring.

Pierre-Marie and his son, Olivier, said that they expended as many man-hours in the vines in 2014 as in any vintage in recent memory, and that while they’re happy with the results, the diminished quantity of wine produced “probably makes them the most expensive we’ve made in a long time, if you look at the work that it took to get there,” as Pierre-Marie put it. The 2014s here show a higher degree of polish than I normally expect from Clape but that’s not to say that they’re lightweights. My guess is that they’ll be drinking well at least a few years before the 2013s here and way before the 2015s, which are wines that any Cornas lover really should have in their cellar.

I tasted with both Pierre-Marie and Olivier Clape this year. The vineyards had just received a welcome, soaking rain and Olivier was going to have to wait a day or so before being sent back up into the vines while his father “gets to entertain people in the cellar." Once again, because of the timing of my visit I was able to taste three vintages here -- 2015, 2014 and 2013 -- and they all look to be outstanding in their own distinct way. The vibrancy of the '13s will allow them to age smoothly, Olivier thinks, while the richness of the 2014s and, probably, 2015s will make them enjoyable on the young side, the '15s likely being the better candidates for long-term cellaring.

For the first time since I first visited this cellar back in 1989, I tasted three different vintages, as the malos of the Clapes' 2014s had recently finished when I visited their cellar in December and the 2013s were about to be assembled in preparation for bottling in early January. Pierre Clape took me through the new wines by himself because his son Olivier had to leave to work up in the vineyards where much topsoil had been washed down the hill by heavy rainfall a couple of days earlier. Clape told me that he thinks that the 2014s in Cornas "are quite a bit like the 2012s but because the yields were generous, as in 2013, their structure will be less strict, so more like 2013 in that regard." That means that the '14s "will probably never really close up," he added. Moving quickly to harvest was essential in 2014, he added, because rain and rot were feared in early September, causing the Clapes to "harvest like crazy, in just one week and finishing on the 7th, which was the fastest we've ever moved through the vines and with the most workers ever." While yields were generous in 2013 "many of the grapes were small, so the ratio of juice to skin was pretty good," said Clape, who thinks that while a classic Cornas is best drunk at around 20 years of age, the '13s will be at their best "maybe 10 years" after the vintage. He called 2012 "an elegant year but with structure--a lot like 2004 but with a little more depth." These are wines to hold and drink after the '13s and '14s "but long before the '10s, which are strictly for the cellar."

I tasted with both Pierre-Marie and Olivier Clape this year. The vineyards had just received a welcome, soaking rain and Olivier was going to have to wait a day or so before being sent back up into the vines while his father “gets to entertain people in the cellar." Once again, because of the timing of my visit I was able to taste three vintages here -- 2015, 2014 and 2013 -- and they all look to be outstanding in their own distinct way. The vibrancy of the '13s will allow them to age smoothly, Olivier thinks, while the richness of the 2014s and, probably, 2015s will make them enjoyable on the young side, the '15s likely being the better candidates for long-term cellaring.

For the first time since I first visited this cellar back in 1989, I tasted three different vintages, as the malos of the Clapes' 2014s had recently finished when I visited their cellar in December and the 2013s were about to be assembled in preparation for bottling in early January. Pierre Clape took me through the new wines by himself because his son Olivier had to leave to work up in the vineyards where much topsoil had been washed down the hill by heavy rainfall a couple of days earlier. Clape told me that he thinks that the 2014s in Cornas "are quite a bit like the 2012s but because the yields were generous, as in 2013, their structure will be less strict, so more like 2013 in that regard." That means that the '14s "will probably never really close up," he added. Moving quickly to harvest was essential in 2014, he added, because rain and rot were feared in early September, causing the Clapes to "harvest like crazy, in just one week and finishing on the 7th, which was the fastest we've ever moved through the vines and with the most workers ever." While yields were generous in 2013 "many of the grapes were small, so the ratio of juice to skin was pretty good," said Clape, who thinks that while a classic Cornas is best drunk at around 20 years of age, the '13s will be at their best "maybe 10 years" after the vintage. He called 2012 "an elegant year but with structure--a lot like 2004 but with a little more depth." These are wines to hold and drink after the '13s and '14s "but long before the '10s, which are strictly for the cellar."

For the first time since I first visited this cellar back in 1989, I tasted three different vintages, as the malos of the Clapes' 2014s had recently finished when I visited their cellar in December and the 2013s were about to be assembled in preparation for bottling in early January. Pierre Clape took me through the new wines by himself because his son Olivier had to leave to work up in the vineyards where much topsoil had been washed down the hill by heavy rainfall a couple of days earlier. Clape told me that he thinks that the 2014s in Cornas "are quite a bit like the 2012s but because the yields were generous, as in 2013, their structure will be less strict, so more like 2013 in that regard." That means that the '14s "will probably never really close up," he added. Moving quickly to harvest was essential in 2014, he added, because rain and rot were feared in early September, causing the Clapes to "harvest like crazy, in just one week and finishing on the 7th, which was the fastest we've ever moved through the vines and with the most workers ever." While yields were generous in 2013 "many of the grapes were small, so the ratio of juice to skin was pretty good," said Clape, who thinks that while a classic Cornas is best drunk at around 20 years of age, the '13s will be at their best "maybe 10 years" after the vintage. He called 2012 "an elegant year but with structure--a lot like 2004 but with a little more depth." These are wines to hold and drink after the '13s and '14s "but long before the '10s, which are strictly for the cellar."

Olivier Clape believes that the 2012s have been easy to drink from the very beginning "because it's a vintage that's generous and round. The tannins won't ever be in the way of the fruit, like in 2010," a year that he described as "one of the best that my grandfather and father can remember." He told me that this is truly a golden age for the northern Rhone because "what's considered a weak vintage today would have been considered a success when my grandfather was young." Olivier attributes that to more generally warm growing seasons but also to "more perspective and education, and to building on the experience of our parents and grandparents." He pointed out that things are more controlled now and that much more attention is paid by wineries every step of the way from flowering to bottling: "the vineyard, the harvest, selection in the cellar, more precise bottling, everything. Nothing should happen by accident anymore; there's no excuse." The 2011 Cornas bottlings here show impressive depth and power for the vintage, which Clape describes as "richer than 2008, with an open personality but plenty of material to age for a while." Our conversation led to a discussion of lighter vintages in Cornas, prompting Olivier to open a bottle of his '08, which was putting on an almost Burgundian display of red fruits and flowers, with smoke and licorice notes in the background. It's plenty delicious now but balanced to reward at least another decade of patience. Clape said that a well-made Cornas "can easily age and improve for over ten years, even from a rainy year, especially if the fruit came from old vines on hillsides," which happens to be exactly what his family has at their disposal.

Olivier Clape believes that the 2012s have been easy to drink from the very beginning "because it's a vintage that's generous and round. The tannins won't ever be in the way of the fruit, like in 2010," a year that he described as "one of the best that my grandfather and father can remember." He told me that this is truly a golden age for the northern Rhone because "what's considered a weak vintage today would have been considered a success when my grandfather was young." Olivier attributes that to more generally warm growing seasons but also to "more perspective and education, and to building on the experience of our parents and grandparents." He pointed out that things are more controlled now and that much more attention is paid by wineries every step of the way from flowering to bottling: "the vineyard, the harvest, selection in the cellar, more precise bottling, everything. Nothing should happen by accident anymore; there's no excuse." The 2011 Cornas bottlings here show impressive depth and power for the vintage, which Clape describes as "richer than 2008, with an open personality but plenty of material to age for a while." Our conversation led to a discussion of lighter vintages in Cornas, prompting Olivier to open a bottle of his '08, which was putting on an almost Burgundian display of red fruits and flowers, with smoke and licorice notes in the background. It's plenty delicious now but balanced to reward at least another decade of patience. Clape said that a well-made Cornas "can easily age and improve for over ten years, even from a rainy year, especially if the fruit came from old vines on hillsides," which happens to be exactly what his family has at their disposal.

I tasted this year's set of wines with Olivier Clape, who told me that things in the cellar were now "like in the old days" because his grandfather, Auguste, "got a new knee and now he's everywhere, all the time." Indeed, the senior Clape was more in evidence this past November than I've noticed in years, and highly animated to boot. The 2010s here are the best wines I've had from Clape in recent memory, meaning even better than the outstanding 2005s, which is saying something. Olivier said that yields played a huge part in the success of the 2010s, pointing out that their vineyard gave them less than 25 hl/ha, as opposed to about 40/hl/ha in 2011. He calls 2010 "a lot like 1990," while 2011 is "quite classic, with very good freshness and balance." The family's hillside vineyards' exposures benefited enormously from the sun in 2010, Olivier said, "but there's great acidity to balance it, which was less the case in 2009 and what makes it a unique vintage." The Clapes recently purchased another hectare of vines in Saint-Peray that include about 40% roussanne, which Olivier says will help bring weight, texture and power to that bottling in the future and also make it more age-worthy, as the wine right now is one that the Clapes "like to drink young, while the fruit is fresh."

I tasted this year's set of wines with Olivier Clape, who told me that things in the cellar were now "like in the old days" because his grandfather, Auguste, "got a new knee and now he's everywhere, all the time."Indeed, the senior Clape was more in evidence this past November than I've noticed in years, and highly animated to boot.The 2010s here are the best wines I've had from Clape in recent memory, meaning even better than the outstanding 2005s, which is saying something.Olivier said that yields played a huge part in the success of the 2010s, pointing out that their vineyard gave them less than 25 hl/ha, as opposed to about 40/hl/ha in 2011.He calls 2010 "a lot like 1990," while 2011 is "quite classic, with very good freshness and balance."The family's hillside vineyards' exposures benefited enormously from the sun in 2010, Olivier said, "but there's great acidity to balance it, which was less the case in 2009 and what makes it a unique vintage."The Clapes recently purchased another hectare of vines in Saint-Peray that include about 40% roussanne, which Olivier says will help bring weight, texture and power to that bottling in the future and also make it more age-worthy, as the wine right now is one that the Clapes "like to drink young, while the fruit is fresh."

According to Pierre-Marie Clape, "the short-term downside with the 2009s is that they are continuing to gain structure since they've gone into bottle, at the expense of freshness.They're very dense and hard to understand at this point."He strongly advises against opening his '09s any time soon "because they're in an intellectual stage now, not a sensual one."Two thousand ten, on the other hand, "is racier in style and a classic northern vintage compared to '09, which is more southern in character.The fruit of the 2010s is brighter and more red, while '09 is dark."

According to Pierre-Marie Clape, "the short-term downside with the 2009s is that they are continuing to gain structure since they've gone into bottle, at the expense of freshness.They're very dense and hard to understand at this point."He strongly advises against opening his '09s any time soon "because they're in an intellectual stage now, not a sensual one."Two thousand ten, on the other hand, "is racier in style and a classic northern vintage compared to '09, which is more southern in character.The fruit of the 2010s is brighter and more red, while '09 is dark."

Olivier Clape told me that 2009 definitely leads with its fruit but that the wines actually have good structure underneath. "The tannins are folded in right now but they should become more apparent in a few years," he went on. "There's no hardness to them, which means that the wines aren't likely to close up like in a typical rich vintage. It was warm in '09 but not hot, so the grapes' skins stayed supple." Another characteristic that Clape likes about 2009 is that "there's no astringency in the young wines and that means that people who like to start drinking them when they're young can enjoy them with only a little guilt."

Olivier Clape told me that 2009 definitely leads with its fruit but that the wines actually have good structure underneath. "The tannins are folded in right now but they should become more apparent in a few years," he went on. "There's no hardness to them, which means that the wines aren't likely to close up like in a typical rich vintage. It was warm in '09 but not hot, so the grapes' skins stayed supple." Another characteristic that Clape likes about 2009 is that "there's no astringency in the young wines and that means that people who like to start drinking them when they're young can enjoy them with only a little guilt."

I tasted with Pierre-Marie Clape on a morning following two days of rain, and he was concerned that the low pressure "might have compressed the wines' aromas." But I actually found his 2008s and 2007s pretty easy to read. Production here was off by over 25% in 2008, but Clape admitted that "this is a good time to be making less wine," given the weak market. He notes that 2008 isn't a vintage to get excited about "but there's a nice spiciness to the wines that is reminiscent of Crozes-Hermitage. They're wines to drink as soon as they come out." There will be more Cornas Renaissance than usual in 2008 because Clape did a severe selection for the flagship Cornas and kicked a good bit of juice that normally goes into the top wine down into the entry-level bottling. He also blended his 2008 Cornas press wine into the Vin des Amis "to give it more presence and backbone." Clape likes his 2007s but prefers the 2006s because "they are more complete and will have a longer aging curve. With their pretty, upfront fruit, the '07s will be showing most of their potential on the young side, but the '06s will live a long time on their balance. They'll surprise a lot of people."

I tasted with Pierre-Marie Clape on a morning following two days of rain, and he was concerned that the low pressure "might have compressed the wines' aromas." But I actually found his 2008s and 2007s pretty easy to read. Production here was off by over 25% in 2008, but Clape admitted that "this is a good time to be making less wine," given the weak market. He notes that 2008 isn't a vintage to get excited about "but there's a nice spiciness to the wines that is reminiscent of Crozes-Hermitage. They're wines to drink as soon as they come out." There will be more Cornas Renaissance than usual in 2008 because Clape did a severe selection for the flagship Cornas and kicked a good bit of juice that normally goes into the top wine down into the entry-level bottling. He also blended his 2008 Cornas press wine into the Vin des Amis "to give it more presence and backbone." Clape likes his 2007s but prefers the 2006s because "they are more complete and will have a longer aging curve. With their pretty, upfront fruit, the '07s will be showing most of their potential on the young side, but the '06s will live a long time on their balance. They'll surprise a lot of people."

"There was no rain in August, then we got a good soaking at the very beginning of September, which kick-started the vines," Olivier Clape said while discussing the 2007 vintage. "The 2007s are easier wines than the 2006s here," his father Pierre-Marie chimed in, adding that he thinks the earlier vintage will reward patience. The Clapes are blessed with an ample collection of old vines in the best sites of Cornas, with many 50 to 60 years of age. The wines are never destemmed, which I believe is a major reason that they are usually among the most highly perfumed of the appellation. The domain also depends on ambient yeasts and the wines are raised in ancient foudres that are into their fourth decade of use. As Cornas goes, a good amount of wine is made here: Clape produces about 8,000 bottles of Renaissance and 16,000 bottles of Cornas classique in typical vintages like 2006 and 2007. The 2005 Cornas, by the way, is displaying a wonderfully vivacious character right now, with deep, sweet red and dark berry fruit and sexy Asian spice character. If you have a few bottles, it's worth taking one for a spin. (Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA) Also recommended: 2007 Vin des Amis Vin de Table de France (87), 2007 Cotes du Rhone (88).

"There was no rain in August, then we got a good soaking at the very beginning of September, which kick-started the vines," Olivier Clape said while discussing the 2007 vintage. "The 2007s are easier wines than the 2006s here," his father Pierre-Marie chimed in, adding that he thinks the earlier vintage will reward patience. The Clapes are blessed with an ample collection of old vines in the best sites of Cornas, with many 50 to 60 years of age. The wines are never destemmed, which I believe is a major reason that they are usually among the most highly perfumed of the appellation. The domain also depends on ambient yeasts and the wines are raised in ancient foudres that are into their fourth decade of use. As Cornas goes, a good amount of wine is made here: Clape produces about 8,000 bottles of Renaissance and 16,000 bottles of Cornas classique in typical vintages like 2006 and 2007. The 2005 Cornas, by the way, is displaying a wonderfully vivacious character right now, with deep, sweet red and dark berry fruit and sexy Asian spice character. If you have a few bottles, it's worth taking one for a spin. (Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA) Also recommended: 2007 Vin des Amis Vin de Table de France (87), 2007 Cotes du Rhone (88).

"We do no destemming here," Pierre-Marie Clape told me, "and that's the key to a complex bouquet, especially in hot years, which seems like every year now." Clape added that Cornas received more rainfall in 2005 than did vineyards farther to the north, "which should allow us to make wines with perhaps less roasted character than you might find up there in that vintage." Clape's 2004 Cornas, by the way, is showing wonderful sweetness and elegance, and is in no way shut down.

"We do no destemming here," Pierre-Marie Clape told me, "and that's the key to a complex bouquet, especially in hot years, which seems like every year now." Clape added that Cornas received more rainfall in 2005 than did vineyards farther to the north, "which should allow us to make wines with perhaps less roasted character than you might find up there in that vintage." Clape's 2004 Cornas, by the way, is showing wonderful sweetness and elegance, and is in no way shut down.

. While there have been plenty of high notes here over the past two decades, no wines I can think of match up to the 2005s sitting in Clape's deep, cold cave right now. Pierre-Marie Clape likens 2004 to 2000, "but with a greater expression of terroir," and thinks that 2005 "has the structure of 1995, mixed with a bit of the character of 2001. "Incidentally, Clape considers his 2003 to be "more 2003 than Cornas. "I had the chance to re-taste that vintage and it is a huge, almost porty wine with uncanny sweetness and weight. The parcel of old vines in Sabarotte that the Clapes purchased from Noel Verset in 2002 has begun to make a strong statement here, no doubt contributing to what I perceive to be a big jump in sweetness in the "classic" Cornas.

. While there have been plenty of high notes here over the past two decades, no wines I can think of match up to the 2005s sitting in Clape's deep, cold cave right now. Pierre-Marie Clape likens 2004 to 2000, "but with a greater expression of terroir," and thinks that 2005 "has the structure of 1995, mixed with a bit of the character of 2001. "Incidentally, Clape considers his 2003 to be "more 2003 than Cornas. "I had the chance to re-taste that vintage and it is a huge, almost porty wine with uncanny sweetness and weight. The parcel of old vines in Sabarotte that the Clapes purchased from Noel Verset in 2002 has begun to make a strong statement here, no doubt contributing to what I perceive to be a big jump in sweetness in the "classic" Cornas.

According to Pierre-Marie Clape, "in 2003 the old vines were critical to preserving terroir character."By contrast, he said, 2004 was an ideal year, with conditions that will allow the Clapes to make "very classic wines with balance and focus."

According to Pierre-Marie Clape, "in 2003 the old vines were critical to preserving terroir character."By contrast, he said, 2004 was an ideal year, with conditions that will allow the Clapes to make "very classic wines with balance and focus."

"More an atypical year than an outstanding year," was Pierre-Marie Clape's assessment of vintage 2003. "The wines are certainly rich, round and flatteur, but not classic. "Two different hail storms at the end of July and beginning of August, in conjunction with the summer's extreme heat, resulted in a very small crop of 22 hectoliters per hectare and the estate's highest alcohol levels ever. Stress from heat and drought brought about a pH of 4. 1 in the estate's oldest vines.

While the relentless November rain was pouring outside, Pierre-Marie Clape walked me through the latest wines in their historic cellars. In 2021, harvest took place in the second half of September, roughly three weeks later than in 2022. While the 2021 Vin des Amis and Côtes-du-Rhône didn’t leave a lasting impression, I was positively taken by the 2021 Saint-Péray, Cornas Renaissance and Cornas. Although the two Cornas bottlings are nowhere near the ripeness and concentration of the surrounding vintages, they both offer a refreshing and savory profile. Moving on to 2022, Pierre-Marie Clape and his son Olivier decided not to bottle a Cornas Renaissance, mainly because their younger vines suffered greatly from drought-like conditions and yielded very few grapes. The promising 2022 Cornas reminds Clape of 2017 due to its substance, ripeness and tannic structure. Although both the 2021 and 2022 Cornas are fine renditions of this cuvée in their own right, neither can keep up with the dazzling 2020. Although both the 2021 and 2022 Cornas are fine renditions of this cuvée in their own right, neither can keep up with the dazzling 2020. The key to Clapes Cornas wines is patience. Don’t even think about popping a cork until around eight years of bottle age. I vividly remember a 2010 Cornas when it was only four years old–it simply didn’t reveal itself, even after hours of decanting. Going back to 2021, Clape shared that this vintage reminds him of the light and fresh wines he and his late father Auguste made in the 1970s: To round things up, Clape opened a 2002, which, although past its prime, held together remarkably well. It proved the point that no matter how difficult the vintage, the Clapes have things under control.

"More an atypical year than an outstanding year," was Pierre-Marie Clape's assessment of vintage 2003. "The wines are certainly rich, round and flatteur, but not classic. "Two different hail storms at the end of July and beginning of August, in conjunction with the summer's extreme heat, resulted in a very small crop of 22 hectoliters per hectare and the estate's highest alcohol levels ever. Stress from heat and drought brought about a pH of 4. 1 in the estate's oldest vines.

Pierre-Marie Clape describes the domain's young 2001sx000D as "more stuffed, more fruity versions of the '98s, which are more severex000D by comparison. The 2001s have a nicex000D touch of acidity that gives them a classic structure. The fruit was very healthy, less fletri [shriveled] than eitherx000D 1999 or 1998." But like a numberx000D of growers in Burgundy, Clape noted that vintage 2000 may have witnessedx000D somewhat riper polyphenols, as in 2001 the sugars went up faster than thex000D ripeness of the skins increased. Butx000D even in 2000, the skins were not completely ripe, as a hot spell in Augustx000D retarded the maturity. Clape describesx000D the 2000 vintage as "a cousin of 1997."

Pierre-Marie Clape describes the domain's young 2001sx000D as "more stuffed, more fruity versions of the '98s, which are more severex000D by comparison. The 2001s have a nicex000D touch of acidity that gives them a classic structure. The fruit was very healthy, less fletri [shriveled] than eitherx000D 1999 or 1998." But like a numberx000D of growers in Burgundy, Clape noted that vintage 2000 may have witnessedx000D somewhat riper polyphenols, as in 2001 the sugars went up faster than thex000D ripeness of the skins increased. Butx000D even in 2000, the skins were not completely ripe, as a hot spell in Augustx000D retarded the maturity. Clape describesx000D the 2000 vintage as "a cousin of 1997."

"The year 2000 featured a hot and cold summer," according to Pierre-Marie Clape. The season began early, but then the first half of July was unseasonably cold, he explained. Very hot conditions in August then burned some of the grapes, blocking the maturing process in some vines after the 20th of the month: "We had afternoon temperatures as high as 98 degrees for 12 days in August," he added.

"The year 2000 featured a hot and cold summer," according to Pierre-Marie Clape. The season began early, but then the first half of July was unseasonably cold, he explained. Very hot conditions in August then burned some of the grapes, blocking the maturing process in some vines after the 20th of the month: "We had afternoon temperatures as high as 98 degrees for 12 days in August," he added.

"The year 2000 featured a hot and cold summer," according to Pierre-Marie Clape. The season began early, but then the first half of July was unseasonably cold, he explained. Very hot conditions in August then burned some of the grapes, blocking the maturing process in some vines after the 20th of the month: "We had afternoon temperatures as high as 98 degrees for 12 days in August," he added.

Pierre-Marie Clape describes this estate 1999 Cornas as a wine with more material than the '98, and with riper, more thoroughly buffered tannins. Grape sugars were about a half degree higher than those of the previous year, and acidity levels were also better. In fact, he adds, the best vintages of the decade were '99, '91 and '90-plus, of course, '95, "which is too tannic to think about today. The vines, especially in our oldest parcel in Reynard, withered in the summer heat in both '97 and '00," Clape notes, "but not in '99, as the bit of rain in late August really drove the ripening process and protected the wine's pH."

Pierre-Marie Clape describes this estate 1999 Cornas as a wine with more material than the '98, and with riper, more thoroughly buffered tannins. Grape sugars were about a half degree higher than those of the previous year, and acidity levels were also better. In fact, he adds, the best vintages of the decade were '99, '91 and '90-plus, of course, '95, "which is too tannic to think about today. The vines, especially in our oldest parcel in Reynard, withered in the summer heat in both '97 and '00," Clape notes, "but not in '99, as the bit of rain in late August really drove the ripening process and protected the wine's pH."

"The most typical and balanced vintage since '91," is how Pierre-Marie Clape describes this domain's '98 Cornas, adding that he also loves the '95 but that it's a particularly tannic vin de garde and not especially pleasant to drink today. In '98, the Clapes had an average-size crop that included some sunburned grapes from the heat wave of early August. Acid levels are analytically the same as those of '97, but the '98, according to Pierre-Marie, tastes much firmer and more like typical Cornas.

"The most typical and balanced vintage since '91," is how Pierre-Marie Clape describes this domain's '98 Cornas, adding that he also loves the '95 but that it's a particularly tannic vin de garde and not especially pleasant to drink today. In '98, the Clapes had an average-size crop that included some sunburned grapes from the heat wave of early August. Acid levels are analytically the same as those of '97, but the '98, according to Pierre-Marie, tastes much firmer and more like typical Cornas.

August and son Pierre-Marie Clape rate '97 on about the level of '96 in concentration. 1996, says Pierre-Marie, lacked ample sun, while '97 had perhaps too much. There was a lot of vegetation during the hot, dry spell in August of '97, he noted, and the sap didn't really move in the vines. As a result, it took a full month for the sugars to climb from 11.2% to 12.2%. Ultimately ripeness was more a function of evaporation of water and concentration from the wind.

August and son Pierre-Marie Clape rate '97 on about the level of '96 in concentration. 1996, says Pierre-Marie, lacked ample sun, while '97 had perhaps too much. There was a lot of vegetation during the hot, dry spell in August of '97, he noted, and the sap didn't really move in the vines. As a result, it took a full month for the sugars to climb from 11.2% to 12.2%. Ultimately ripeness was more a function of evaporation of water and concentration from the wind.