2011 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas

The 2011 Cornas is drinking beautifully right now, 10 years after the vintage. Nicely developed notes of leather and faint herbal flourishes accent redcurrants on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is plush and velvety, capped off by a long, elegant finish.

The 2011 Clape Cornas shows much darker character than its 2012 sibling, offering powerful cassis, black currant and licorice flavors that unfurl very slowly with air. At almost a decade old, this is still on the youthful side, with round but present tannins adding framework and closing grip. Right now, I slightly prefer the elegance of the 2012.

Complex wine, from a fruit-driven vintage, this has always been quite open and approachable. The palate has a firmish tannin frame with red fruit at the core. Plush. Some earthy and woody savoriness coming through. Drink or hold.