Rhône Theme
Timed Online Auction, 2 - 12 February 2024
Rhône | International & South African offering
About the SessionThe first sale of the 2024 Strauss & Co Fine Wine Auction calendar is an exciting Rhône valley and Rhône-style offering and has fast-become one of the most popular at Strauss & Co Fine Wine Auctions.
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About this Item
The late Auguste Clape first went to Cornas in 1949 to marry his wife Henriette whose family owned 5 hectares of vines in the appellation. For many years, most growers in Cornas sold their fruit to négociants but Auguste became a local legend when he became the first to make wine from his own grapes instead of selling them. This decision set the tone for the future of Cornas. Today, his son Pierre-Marie and grandson Olivier Clape run the estate. Although they only farm 8 hectares, the tightly stacked and terraced vineyards present a huge challenge. The sharp precipices make the use of any machinery impossible and, as a result, all the work must be done by hand. Clape’s powerful and authentic Syrahs, produced from the region’s best granite soils, have become world renowned and are among the most celebrated wines of France. They only produce two cuvées – the Cornas, from 40 to 90-year-old vines, and the Cornas Renaissance which is produced from their younger vines.
Provenance
Private Client
Critics Ratings
‘Granite, smoke and the blackest possible fruit. Has that soulful mineral note of the best wines. Petrichor! Thick palate texture. A grand, multi-layered edifice, with exquisite detail.’ – Richard Hemming MW, JancisRobinson.com, 18/20 (Oct 2019)
‘This is brimming with steeped plum, blackberry and cassis notes, inlaid liberally with licorice root, singed juniper, tar and tobacco accents. A lingering echo of smoldering cast iron emerges on the grippy finish, along with a swath of warm humus details, giving this a dense and chewy feel. The core of fruit is massive, but this requires patience. Best from 2022 through 2045.’ – James Molesworth, Wine Spectator, 98/100 (Feb 2020)
‘Marked by hints of tar and black pepper on the nose, Clape's 2016 Cornas is earthy and savory, loaded with notes of black olives but with enough blueberries and blackberries to satisfy fans of fruit as well. It's full-bodied, rich and tannic but not tough or hard, with incredible balance. It's so harmonious that it's not overly difficult to drink now, yet it should age gracefully for a couple of decades.’ – Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate, 96/100 (Dec 2019)
‘No destemming as usual, fermented in concrete and aged in large, old oak barrels. A tasting of the four main component parts (La Petite Côte, Sabarotte, La Côte and Reynards) reveals a more classic expression than the very ripe 2015 vintage. Though still ripe, the Cornas terroir is in sharper focus this year, with each terroir clearly showing its character. Fresh, defined and floral aromatics abound, with ripe but chiselled, saline tannins and relatively high acidity. An elegant vintage with good Cornas typicality.’ – Matt Walls, Decanter.com, 96/100 (Oct 2017)
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