1987 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas

Community Tasting Notes (9) Avg Score: 90 points

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  10/3/2021 - kuumies wrote:

  Super savory on the nose with restrained/faded fruit, lots of herbal and green tones and some bouillon. Some nutty oxidation but by no means too much for fans of older wines. On the palate medium-bodied with fully resolved tannins and lively acidity. The fruit is completely tertiary but very juicy and pleasant. For my palate this is past its peak quite clearly but it is still very drinkable and quite enjoyable. Harmonious and graceful.

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  10/2/2021 - forceberry wrote: 92 Points

  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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  12/21/2019 - beatles wrote: 92 Points

  Elegant and fresh, no pruny or oxidative notes what so ever. The wine is smooth, elegant, layered with gamey notes, lots of local feel. Tannins are completely integrated, the wine is light but not without structure. Mature, but in no way declining as of yet. Very good bottle, this.
  Thank you, Simon, for serving this.
  #Palægade
  #Henning&Flemming

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  1/20/2019 - Brain Capers Likes this wine:

  Another old wine, from long ago. P n P, had to decant as the cork went right into bottle, no issues at all. I think that ‘87 was not a great year, but, what helped make Clape’s reputation was good wine in not so good years. Don’t have any Verset left to compare, but the wine was very enjoyable till gone. Parker’s 3rd edition book gave the ‘87 an 86 point rating, so I’m impressed, being 32 years old. Had with braised duck legs and flageolets.

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  8/11/2017 - Mrbuzz Likes this wine: 91 Points

  Dinner at Galletto's (Galletto Ristorante, Modesto Ca.): Old school here! Fruit started out a little roasted red berry, sour cherry, aged plum...lighted bodied showing the vintage. An hour of air did wonders and the fruit darkened up, still savory...and earth tones, leather, olives, dried herb notes showing. Sharpness at times with some Barolo-like orange acidity streaking through...did start to sputter out at about the 4hr mark. Not a bad showing for the vintage...but I had a 87 Verset a few years ago that was benchmark...so this wine paled in comparison.

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