2014 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas

The 2014s are more elegant, silky and streamlined, yet offer classic characters and will evolve gracefully. Similar to the Renaissance, with tons of cedary spice, pepper, iron, beef blood, crushed rock and new saddle leather, the 2014 Cornas is medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated and structured, with ripe, present tannin. It needs 2-4 years of cellaring and will have 10-15 years of longevity.-

Brilliant purple. Powerful, mineral-tinged cherry and blackberry scents, along with notes of bacon fat, licorice, potpourri and pungent flowers. Pure, concentrated and energetic on the palate, offering deeply concentrated black and blue fruit flavors that gain weight and become sweeter with air. Closes extremely long, sappy and sweet, juicy acidity adding lift and cut to the blue-fruit-dominated, youthfully tannic finish.

Tasted in components: #1, from Sabarotte: Deeply pitched black and blue fruit aromas and flavors, with notes of licorice and black cardamom adding complexity. Chewy and broad, finishing with strong thrust and firming tannins. #2, from La Côte: Dark berries and cherry pit on the nose, with a peppery quality adding lift. Sappy and concentrated, offering bitter cherry and cassis flavors that stretch out slowly on the finish. #3, from old vines in Reynard: Explosively perfumed scents of candied black and blue fruits, Indian spices and potpourri. Sappy and sweet, with intense boysenberry and violet pastille flavors and a strong jolt of spiciness. Finishes with gripping tannins and an echo of fresh flowers.