2000 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas

One of the finest efforts of the vintage, the 2000 Cornas boasts an opaque purple color as well as a sumptuously sweet, perfumed nose of white flowers, creme de cassis, melted licorice, and hints of roasted earth and meat. This jammy, medium to full-bodied 2000 is not a blockbuster, but is floral, elegant, and supple-textured. Drink it over the next 10-15 years. There is nothing wrong with a case of Clape! As I have been writing for several decades, Auguste Clape and his son, Pierre-Marie, represent the gold standard for classic Cornas. Readers lucky enough to have access to his importer’s portfolio (Kermit Lynch) should always check out his inexpensive Cotes du Rhone as well as his vin de pays called Le Vin des Amis. Both are noteworthy introductions to what can be found in his Cornas cuvees. Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524

Component #1, from 25-year-old vines facing southeast on the hillside behind the village: Saturated medium ruby. Liqueur-like black cherry and roasted meats on the nose. Dense and fruit-driven but still tight; seems a bit dried from the oak. But with aeration some interesting flavors of black fruits, bitter chocolate and leather emerged. #2, from 40-year-old vines on the same hillside: Full medium ruby. Finer, more aromatic nose combines black cherry, licorice and black olive. Tight, backward and solidly constructed, with firm acidity giving delineation to the sweet fruit flavors. But this is dominated by its structure today. #3, from old vines in Reynard: Bright medium ruby. Vibrant aromas of blackberry and blueberry liqueur, with hints of violet and black olive. Fat and thick, but kept fresh by its sheer structure. Classic Cornas flavors. Finishes with building tannins. A very rich, youthfully unevolved sample that would make a superb bottle on its own.