2001 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas

The impressively youthful 2001 Clape Cornas presents a surprisingly dark color for its age, along with powerful, densely packed dark fruit, licorice, espresso and bitter chocolate character. A smoky mineral note sharpens and extends the long, smoky finish, which leaves cherry liqueur, candied violet and fruitcake notes behind. This is still a youngster and it’s definitely built for the long haul.

100% Syrah, granite soil, 30-38 hl/ha yield, 22 months ageing in oak foudres, bottled without filtration, light fining, 2.8 g/l acidity, 3.8 pH. Strange slightly rubbery aromas, then opening up to meaty marmite (yeast extract), though also a little stemmy. Firm, thick tannins and fine acidity. Moderate length.  (JH)

Bright ruby-red. Superripe, expressive aromas of dark berries, black olive tapenade, gunflint and dark chocolate. Fleshy and sweet, with flavors of blackberry, dried herbs, black olive, pepper and smoke. Very much a wine from granitic soil; conveys a strong impression of noble rusticity. Finishes very long, with big, chewy tannins and late notes of dried herbs, olive and black pepper. Has the material to reward a decade or more of cellaring, but this is also less austere in its youth than most recent vintages of Clape Cornas. I underrated this wine a year ago, although at the time I tasted it in its several components.