Lots of dark red fruits, licorice, black pepper, garrique, very savory and luscious. The tannins are in check and the wine is fully bodied with a roundness on the palate and a long finish. What a great wine!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is the 2nd half of a bottle that we opened and enjoyed on Christmas. It was stoppered in a half bottle in the cellar overnight.
It has a deep red color with the slight orange color at the rim. It has lots of dark red fruits, including ripe plums and black cherries, and nice minerality. It also has herbs de Provence, a little licorice, led pencil, well balanced tannins and acidity.
It is very pleasant to drink this evening and it is quite complex with a tertiary earthiness that I like.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Meaty charcuterie straight out of the glass (This softened a bit with air). A lot of Pepper. Dark fruits. Full bodied. Still a good tannic structure, but integrated. Good freshness. Complex. Spice. Smoke. Long!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This bottle did not seem to have the depth of my last bottle, however, it was still very nice. Perhaps I should have decanted it well before consuming.
It has a deep red color with the slight orange color at the rim. It has lots of dark red fruits, including ripe plums and black cherries, and nice minerality. It also has herbs de Provence, a little licorice, led pencil, well balanced tannins and acidity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for 4 hrs and peaked after 7 or so….beautiful fruit, long finish and great balance. Top Syrah - still in his enjoyable „youngster“ phase can hold much longer. No signs of age yet
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is the first time that I have felt that I expected more from this producer, though this is the first time I have drank cuvée Renaissance with some age on it. Simply put, Syrah characteristics through and through without the depth I come to expect from Clape’s portfolio. Even the many times with vin des amis and cotes du rhone I feel have more depth than this experience. Not to worry. Carry on.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I think this is a great Clape Cornas. It has a deep red color with the slight orange color at the rim just hinting that it is starting to mature. It has lots of dark red fruits, including ripe plums and black cherries, and nice minerality. It also has herbs de Provence, a little licorice, led pencil, well balanced tannins and acidity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Medium to deep ruby, high-toned nose of black cherry, black plum, dried herbs, earth and hints of bell pepper, rich on the attack with red and dark fruit followed by earth, soft tannins and juicy acidity, finish is bright with more dark fruit, wood, plum and chalky notes
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I was really looking forward to tasting this wine from one of the star producers of Cornas but this bottle turned out to be a classic example of a brettanomyces dominated wine. It has been a while since I have had a wine with such intense flavors and odors of cow manure, horse stable and saddle leather, even some mousey notes on the finish. Brett seems a common trait of the so-called 'traditional' producers in the region where elevage often takes place in old foudres that can be tainted by brettanomyces yeasts. While some people like the funky animal flavors, I cannot stand them. So this is not a wine for me and it ultimately went down the sink. Such a shame - the raw material/the fruit was probably excellent. - Spoiled
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
It was considered a vintage year for the Rhone. For $60 this is not a compelling wine. It's in the the Northern Rhone style but, nothing special shows through. Blood, earth , wild meat and brush. Tomorrow I'll try it again.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Almost opaque ruby. Very fruity and porty first whiff, but this settled down to reveal a more sober Syrah mix of cut flowers, green herbs, and blacker fruit. Again, the body went from dense to more supple and medium weight. Reasonable acidity but excellent soil and mineral edge. This unwound beautifully in the decanter over 2 hours and was still clearly on the ascent with the last pour. By my recollection, not quite as packed or intense as the regular 2009 cuvée, but this is still awfully good and full of potential.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Tasted blind. For whatever reason this came off as one of the fruitiest wines of the tasting, and one of the least umami driven. Umami being the hallmark of Cornas, and to a great extent, Cayuse, I defaulted to Reynvaan. Once the tasting concluded this was still fruit saturated, perhaps a result of the hot vintage. Very informative experience overall. A middling finisher on this night.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bionic Frog vs Stonessance vertical tasting - one of 3 ringers/control bottles of the tasting. Was positive this was the Cornas after the 1st sniff. Dank cellar on the nose with pepper, prunes, cellar dust, herbs de provence, pepper and iron. Tart on the palate with big tannins, very Cornas. My #6 of the tasting.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Peppery spices, graphite, cherry, roses and raspberry - the nose is quite lifted and bold. Palate has more restraint, while the fruit has richness there is also a lightness to it that gives it some approachability now. Very nice poise and length here. While I like it now, it will definitely benefit from further ageing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is really a brute at this young stage and in need of many more years to emerge from its tannic shell; The nose is fairly muted, although I did pick up some tones of earth, grilled meat and smoke; The palate is quite closed off, with the fruit overtaken by slightly astringent tannins; Clearly a lot of potential, I have no doubt this will be significantly better in 5-10 years
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
PnP. A lot to like here: classic but restrained/refined Cornas flavours. Sappy, spicy red fruit, slightly dry, woody (not a fault though) tannins shut down the sweet, rich core of fruit halfway through. Needs decanting, or better yet, another 5-10years -- but classic norhern rhone syrah combining animal notes and fruit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
"Paint it Black! Black as night, black as coal!" Some of the darkest color I've seen in a wine. I've never been to Provence, but have smelled herbes de Garrigue in a spice market and this had some of that. But mostly just deep, dark berry fruit and smoke. Brambly like a well-made CA Zin. Intense and powerful, with years of tannin integration to go.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Beautiful floral, bramble, eucalyptus, spice, wood, earth, plum, candy perfumed nose. Good structure, notes of game, black fruit, spice, bay leaf, plum. Old school wine that is not out to do anyone favors, love it.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is fantastic, full throttle Syrah. Dark purple with a brooding nose of blackberry liqueur, black currant, graphite, charcoal, and hints of smoke. The palate is expansive with dark fruit, mineral, and violet. The tannins are really well integrated and while this clearly has the structure to go for a while, it is really incredibly good right now. Clape is without a doubt one of the best in the Northern Rhone and this shows clearly why.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Always the most extra-ordinary perfumed of all the Cornas I have ever tasted. Flowery, and very flowery at that. Drinks very well now yet has the amazing acidity to live much longer. Almost a different grape variety (in terms of the wines finished flavor) than Cornas.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened, but not decanted roughly 30 hours before serving (left in the cellar). Opaque color. More giving than the bottle I had a year ago, but still a baby. Powerful black fruit (cassis, currant) and crushed stones dominate the aromatics. Black licorice and asphalt as well. While the palate has a ton of structure, it is also fairly giving up front because of all the ripe fruit, but then firms up on the mid palate through the long mineral driven finish. Great acidity! Fantastic potential down the road. I'd like to try to keep my remaining bottles for at least a decade before checking in again.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Rough wine. Needed about 3 days to open up. Huge black fruit, big tannins, high alcohol. Rustic wine with chunky tannins, some Brett and lots of spice. Needs a lot of time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for three hours. Quintessential Cornas. Please do not, whatever you do, pop 'n pour this. A blackened garnet, with a thin crimson rim. Extremely long, on the silky, almost cashmere finish; I'm also drawn in by this seductive mid-palate. Ripe plum, garrigue, roasted meat, warm stone, white pepper and red fruit. The best Renaissance yet, and undoubtedly underrated by most; a classic Syrah that is ideal for the cellar. For young(er) vines, this altruistically evokes depth. Coaxing or patience is a must, must, must.... Drink 2016 -.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
2/10/2024 - JM_MadTown Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lots of dark red fruits, licorice, black pepper, garrique, very savory and luscious. The tannins are in check and the wine is fully bodied with a roundness on the palate and a long finish. What a great wine!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/26/2023 - JM_MadTown Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is the 2nd half of a bottle that we opened and enjoyed on Christmas. It was stoppered in a half bottle in the cellar overnight.
It has a deep red color with the slight orange color at the rim. It has lots of dark red fruits, including ripe plums and black cherries, and nice minerality. It also has herbs de Provence, a little licorice, led pencil, well balanced tannins and acidity.
It is very pleasant to drink this evening and it is quite complex with a tertiary earthiness that I like.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/23/2023 - ledocq wrote: flawed
Little VA - the nose was still great, though.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/2/2022 - pcwoz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Meaty charcuterie straight out of the glass (This softened a bit with air). A lot of Pepper. Dark fruits. Full bodied. Still a good tannic structure, but integrated. Good freshness. Complex. Spice. Smoke. Long!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/9/2022 - JM_MadTown Likes this wine: 91 Points
This bottle did not seem to have the depth of my last bottle, however, it was still very nice. Perhaps I should have decanted it well before consuming.
It has a deep red color with the slight orange color at the rim. It has lots of dark red fruits, including ripe plums and black cherries, and nice minerality. It also has herbs de Provence, a little licorice, led pencil, well balanced tannins and acidity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/27/2021 - JHSP Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for 4 hrs and peaked after 7 or so….beautiful fruit, long finish and great balance. Top Syrah - still in his enjoyable „youngster“ phase can hold much longer. No signs of age yet
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/30/2020 - blisscompound wrote: 90 Points
This is the first time that I have felt that I expected more from this producer, though this is the first time I have drank cuvée Renaissance with some age on it. Simply put, Syrah characteristics through and through without the depth I come to expect from Clape’s portfolio. Even the many times with vin des amis and cotes du rhone I feel have more depth than this experience. Not to worry. Carry on.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/13/2020 - JM_MadTown Likes this wine: 93 Points
I think this is a great Clape Cornas. It has a deep red color with the slight orange color at the rim just hinting that it is starting to mature. It has lots of dark red fruits, including ripe plums and black cherries, and nice minerality. It also has herbs de Provence, a little licorice, led pencil, well balanced tannins and acidity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/10/2020 - duchamp Likes this wine: 93 Points
Medium to deep ruby, high-toned nose of black cherry, black plum, dried herbs, earth and hints of bell pepper, rich on the attack with red and dark fruit followed by earth, soft tannins and juicy acidity, finish is bright with more dark fruit, wood, plum and chalky notes
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/5/2019 - isbjoern wrote: flawed
I was really looking forward to tasting this wine from one of the star producers of Cornas but this bottle turned out to be a classic example of a brettanomyces dominated wine. It has been a while since I have had a wine with such intense flavors and odors of cow manure, horse stable and saddle leather, even some mousey notes on the finish. Brett seems a common trait of the so-called 'traditional' producers in the region where elevage often takes place in old foudres that can be tainted by brettanomyces yeasts. While some people like the funky animal flavors, I cannot stand them. So this is not a wine for me and it ultimately went down the sink. Such a shame - the raw material/the fruit was probably excellent. - Spoiled
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/7/2017 - tc from santee wrote: 89 Points
It was considered a vintage year for the Rhone. For $60 this is not a compelling wine. It's in the the Northern Rhone style but, nothing special shows through. Blood, earth , wild meat and brush. Tomorrow I'll try it again.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/10/2017 - drwine2001 wrote:
Almost opaque ruby. Very fruity and porty first whiff, but this settled down to reveal a more sober Syrah mix of cut flowers, green herbs, and blacker fruit. Again, the body went from dense to more supple and medium weight. Reasonable acidity but excellent soil and mineral edge. This unwound beautifully in the decanter over 2 hours and was still clearly on the ascent with the last pour. By my recollection, not quite as packed or intense as the regular 2009 cuvée, but this is still awfully good and full of potential.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/23/2017 - Motz wrote: 93 Points
Tasted blind. For whatever reason this came off as one of the fruitiest wines of the tasting, and one of the least umami driven. Umami being the hallmark of Cornas, and to a great extent, Cayuse, I defaulted to Reynvaan. Once the tasting concluded this was still fruit saturated, perhaps a result of the hot vintage. Very informative experience overall. A middling finisher on this night.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/21/2017 - bajayngo wrote:
Bionic Frog vs Stonessance vertical tasting - one of 3 ringers/control bottles of the tasting. Was positive this was the Cornas after the 1st sniff. Dank cellar on the nose with pepper, prunes, cellar dust, herbs de provence, pepper and iron. Tart on the palate with big tannins, very Cornas. My #6 of the tasting.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/7/2017 - CamWheeler wrote: 92 Points
Peppery spices, graphite, cherry, roses and raspberry - the nose is quite lifted and bold. Palate has more restraint, while the fruit has richness there is also a lightness to it that gives it some approachability now. Very nice poise and length here. While I like it now, it will definitely benefit from further ageing.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/4/2017 - Rico100 wrote: 90 Points
A tad tannic for me.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/2/2016 - eluebchow wrote: 90 Points
This is really a brute at this young stage and in need of many more years to emerge from its tannic shell; The nose is fairly muted, although I did pick up some tones of earth, grilled meat and smoke; The palate is quite closed off, with the fruit overtaken by slightly astringent tannins; Clearly a lot of potential, I have no doubt this will be significantly better in 5-10 years
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/15/2015 - ccn wrote: 89 Points
PnP. A lot to like here: classic but restrained/refined Cornas flavours. Sappy, spicy red fruit, slightly dry, woody (not a fault though) tannins shut down the sweet, rich core of fruit halfway through. Needs decanting, or better yet, another 5-10years -- but classic norhern rhone syrah combining animal notes and fruit.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/17/2015 - sebastienjm wrote: 90 Points
sans prises de note
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/22/2015 - Jscalia Likes this wine: 92 Points
Beautiful wine. Earthy notes. Smooth tannins.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/30/2014 - bramwessel wrote:
"Paint it Black! Black as night, black as coal!" Some of the darkest color I've seen in a wine. I've never been to Provence, but have smelled herbes de Garrigue in a spice market and this had some of that. But mostly just deep, dark berry fruit and smoke. Brambly like a well-made CA Zin. Intense and powerful, with years of tannin integration to go.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/20/2014 - PT insurgent wrote:
Beautiful floral, bramble, eucalyptus, spice, wood, earth, plum, candy perfumed nose. Good structure, notes of game, black fruit, spice, bay leaf, plum.
Old school wine that is not out to do anyone favors, love it.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/12/2014 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
This is fantastic, full throttle Syrah. Dark purple with a brooding nose of blackberry liqueur, black currant, graphite, charcoal, and hints of smoke. The palate is expansive with dark fruit, mineral, and violet. The tannins are really well integrated and while this clearly has the structure to go for a while, it is really incredibly good right now. Clape is without a doubt one of the best in the Northern Rhone and this shows clearly why.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/22/2014 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Always the most extra-ordinary perfumed of all the Cornas I have ever tasted. Flowery, and very flowery at that. Drinks very well now yet has the amazing acidity to live much longer. Almost a different grape variety (in terms of the wines finished flavor) than Cornas.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/1/2014 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Earth and black fruit, spice, truffles, very grippy tannins on the back end. This is day two. The most elegant of the Cornas producers that I know of.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/16/2013 - MatthewF wrote:
Opened, but not decanted roughly 30 hours before serving (left in the cellar). Opaque color. More giving than the bottle I had a year ago, but still a baby. Powerful black fruit (cassis, currant) and crushed stones dominate the aromatics. Black licorice and asphalt as well. While the palate has a ton of structure, it is also fairly giving up front because of all the ripe fruit, but then firms up on the mid palate through the long mineral driven finish. Great acidity! Fantastic potential down the road. I'd like to try to keep my remaining bottles for at least a decade before checking in again.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/15/2013 - Wrmcbratney Likes this wine:
Rough wine. Needed about 3 days to open up. Huge black fruit, big tannins, high alcohol. Rustic wine with chunky tannins, some Brett and lots of spice. Needs a lot of time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/6/2013 - riskun Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nose is a bit closed, but musty dark fruit. Entry also a bit austere. Tannic and structured this needs years to develop. Quite tough going now.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/30/2012 - AtoZ wrote: 93 Points
We really enjoyed this after it had some time to settle down. I think it needs 5-8 years. A touch hot but again that settled down too.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/20/2012 - europat55 wrote: 85 Points
Rhone, Rhone on the Range (Jeff & Chuck's, Mountain View, California): Very dark color. Lots of heat on the nose. Probably way to young to enjoy at this point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/25/2012 - Matt Scott wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for three hours. Quintessential Cornas. Please do not, whatever you do, pop 'n pour this. A blackened garnet, with a thin crimson rim. Extremely long, on the silky, almost cashmere finish; I'm also drawn in by this seductive mid-palate. Ripe plum, garrigue, roasted meat, warm stone, white pepper and red fruit. The best Renaissance yet, and undoubtedly underrated by most; a classic Syrah that is ideal for the cellar. For young(er) vines, this altruistically evokes depth. Coaxing or patience is a must, must, must.... Drink 2016 -.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/20/2012 - Philippe_C wrote: 93 Points
Powerfull nose of bacon and blood, ripe red cherries, ... in the mouth, very fresh, light tannins, red berries, bacon, a bit bitter in the finish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/17/2011 - Engelund wrote: 91 Points
Rhonefestival 2011 Danmark (Dansk Vincenter i Avedøre): Skal gemmes 10 år og tror den bliver god. Pris 325DKK.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment