2021 Auguste Clape, Cornas -Rhone

From the steep, sun-soaked granite slopes of Cornas in the Northern Rhône comes this bold and soulful 2021 Syrah from Auguste Clape—an icon of traditional Rhône winemaking. The Clape family, pioneers of bottling estate Cornas in the 1950s, now farm around 8 hectares, much of it on dizzyingly steep terraces that demand hand-harvesting.

The 2021 vintage was cooler and more classic in style, a welcome shift after recent heat-driven years. This wine is beautifully structured, showing notes of black olive, violets, smoked meat, and brambly dark fruit, with that signature Cornas iron-mineral backbone. It’s powerful but elegant—built for ageing, but thrilling young with decanting.

Clape ferments in concrete and ages in old foudres, letting the terroir speak. Pair it with slow-cooked lamb, wild game, or rich mushroom dishes. A proper winter red—brooding, complex, and utterly Rhône to its core.