Community Tasting Note

forceberry wrote:

Saturday, October 2, 2021 - The old-vine Cornas cuvée of Clape, sourced from multiple old vineyards, some even centenarian in age. Fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts in open-top fermentors, aged for 20-22 months in old 600-1200-liter oak foudres. Bottled unfiltered. 12,5% alcohol.

Evolved and moderately translucent brick-red color with a figgy hue. Evolved, somewhat meaty and slightly sweetish nose with aromas of beef jerky, some raisiny tones, a little bit of pruney dark fruit, light sweet nuances of cherry marmalade and blackcurrant jam, a savory hint of bouillon and a touch of smoke. The wine feels ripe, savory and quite evolved on the palate with a medium body and quite tertiary flavors of bloody meat, some wizened blackcurrant tones, a little bit of charred game, light leathery tones, a hint of sour cherry bitterness and an umami-rich hint of bouillon. Flavor-wise the wine is starting to get somewhat anonymous due to its age, but there's still a meaty Syrah edge that keeps the wine footed quite firmly in Northern Rhône. High in acidity with ample, textural and fully resolved tannins from which all the grip has melted away. The finish is dry, textural and very savory with lengthy, evolved flavors of beef jerky, some wizened blackcurrant tones, a little bit of gamey meat, light ferrous notes of blood, a hint of old leather and a sweet touch of pruney dark fruit.

A harmonious, sophisticated and still thoroughly enjoyable Cornas that has done its passage through the plateau of maturity and is now gracefully gliding downhill. The wine still retains some evolved Syrah fruit notes and the bright, focused acidity lends good sense of freshness to the wine, but overall the wine is losing ground to anonymous tertiary flavors and oxidative qualities. Nevertheless, this is a terrific wine that retains great sense of balance and structure along with lovely depth of flavor. Although not as great as it must've been a good handful of years ago, this is still a very rewarding old Syrah all the same. Time to drink up - this vintage ain't getting any better with further cellaring.

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