2013 Auguste Clape Cornas (scuffed & stained label)

Probably the wine of the vintage is Clape’s 2013 Cornas. Coming from some of the prime terroirs in this incredible appellation, it’s always 100% Syrah (Cornas is always 100% Syrah) that saw no destemming and spent 22 months in mostly ancient foudre. This wine offers up classic Clape notes of beef blood, cold steel, liquid rock, pepper and saddle leather (there’s fruit in there as well) to go with a medium to full-bodied, beautifully concentrated, rich, textured 2013 that has an awesome mid-palate, ripe tannin and clean, lengthy finish. It won’t be as long lived as some of the more blockbuster-styled years, but it will dish out incredible pleasure over the coming 10-15 years. (JD)