Domaine Auguste Clape

The Clape family's connection to viticulture stretches back several generations, though the infamous grower strikes of 1906 and 1907 forced Auguste's grandfather out of the Languedoc and into the Northern Rhône to start over from practically nothing. The family rebuilt their fortunes terrace by terrace along the steep western slopes of the Rhône River. Auguste, born in 1925, began working the estate in the 1940s, and in 1949 he married Ariette Frugier, who inherited vineyards from her family. At the time, vignerons in Cornas were selling their fruit to local négociants. In 1957, the Clapes became the first in the area to bottle their own wine, slowly earning a reputation for quality in foreign markets, especially in the United Kingdom and the United States, with the first exports beginning in the 1970s.

• Auguste's grandfather relocated from Languedoc to Cornas following the grower strikes of 1906 and 1907, rebuilding the family estate terrace by terrace
• In 1949, Auguste married Ariette Frugier, who brought inherited vineyard land to the domaine; the couple replanted and restructured the vineyards together
• In 1957 the Clapes became the first producers in Cornas to bottle under their own label, breaking decisively with the négociant model that dominated the appellation
• Auguste also served as mayor of Cornas and helped establish the annual Cornas wine market in 1955, championing the appellation's wider recognition

During his winemaking career, Auguste Clape's domaine helped turn Cornas into one of the world's most revered sources for Syrah. At a time when Cornas was all but forgotten, Auguste championed its rugged granite slopes and fiercely traditional methods, paving the way for a generation of producers including Thierry Allemand. His work demonstrated that Cornas could produce wines of profound complexity and remarkable aging potential, and his status as a founding reference point for the entire appellation has never been challenged. Robert Parker has referred to Clape as 'the reference point for the appellation.' The domaine's influence extended beyond its eight hectares; by choosing to estate-bottle and export, Auguste essentially defined what serious Cornas could be.

• Auguste Clape was the first in Cornas to estate-bottle Syrah, paving the way for subsequent stars including Thierry Allemand
• Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant has been the domaine's longtime U.S. importer, helping bring Clape's wines to an international audience from the 1970s onward
• The flagship Cornas is considered a benchmark not only for the appellation but for traditionally made Northern Rhône Syrah worldwide
• The domaine's example proved that Cornas terroir, when farmed with rigor and vinified without compromise, could rival the Northern Rhône's most celebrated appellations

The Clape family farms approximately 8.5 hectares spanning the Cornas and Saint-Péray appellations. The steep, tightly stacked terraces make mechanization impossible, so all vineyard work is done entirely by hand. The vineyards sit on granite subsoil behind the village, with optimal south to southeast sun exposure. Key parcels include Reynards, La Côte, Geynale, Tézier, Petite Côte, Les Mazards, Patou, Pied La Vigne, Chaillot, and Sabarotte, the last purchased from Noël Verset. In the winery, individual parcels are vinified separately via whole-cluster fermentation in concrete tanks. Élevage lasts 12 to 22 months in old oval foudres, with the barrels aged between 30 and 50 years to ensure complete neutrality. There is no new oak, and winemaking interventions are kept to a minimum.

• All vineyard work is done by hand on steep granite terraces; mechanization is impossible on the inclines behind the village of Cornas
• Parcels are vinified separately using whole-cluster fermentation; the oldest vines are planted with 'la Petite Syrah,' the ancient local Syrah clone
• Élevage lasts 12 to 22 months in old oval foudres (30 to 50 years old), providing gentle oxidative maturation with no new oak influence
• Since 1998 the domaine has produced a second Cornas, Renaissance, from younger vines of 20 to 30 years, intended for earlier drinking than the flagship

Auguste Clape died on July 13, 2018, at the age of 93, having worked the estate until near the end of his life. His son Pierre-Marie, who joined full-time in 1988, continued to build Domaine Clape into one of the Rhône's defining benchmarks. Pierre-Marie passed away on June 28, 2025, at the age of 74, after a brief and sudden battle with cancer. His son Olivier, who had joined the domaine in 2002 after winemaking experience in Napa Valley, Australia, and New Zealand, now leads the estate. Three generations have maintained an unbroken commitment to traditional viticulture, whole-cluster vinification, and neutral-wood aging that has kept Domaine Clape at the summit of Cornas for more than six decades.

• Auguste died July 13, 2018, age 93; Pierre-Marie died June 28, 2025, age 74; Olivier Clape now leads the domaine
• Pierre-Marie joined the domaine full-time in 1988 and Olivier joined in 2002, ensuring generational continuity of the estate's traditional methods
• Olivier Clape gained international winemaking experience in Napa Valley, Australia, and New Zealand before returning to Cornas
• The domaine's wines have received scores of 96 to 98 points from major critics in top vintages such as 2015, 2019, and 2020

Clape's wine is the essence of Syrah grown in Cornas' suntrap of steep granite slopes: dark berries, black olive, dried herbs, woodsmoke, and violets when young, developing astonishing depth, complexity, and velvety texture with age. The wines carry deep purple to near-black color and powerful tannins when young. Key identifying markers include a mineral, iron-tinged character reflecting the granite terroir, notes of game and leather, and an almost brooding introversion in youth that gives way to remarkable complexity with a decade or more of cellaring. The absence of new oak means the wine's tertiary development is driven entirely by fruit and terroir rather than wood-derived vanilla or toast.

• Deep purple to near-black in color with powerful granitic tannins when young; the wine typically closes down for several years before opening into complexity
• Classic Clape aromatics include dark cherry, blueberry, black olive, violet, ground pepper, smoked meat, and iron-mineral notes from the granite subsoil
• No new oak; all aging in neutral old foudres means wood character is absent, allowing pure terroir and grape expression to dominate
• With age, tertiary flavors of garrigue, leather, earth, and dried fruit emerge; top vintages can develop for 15 to 20 or more years

Today the domaine is led by Olivier Clape, the third generation of the family, following the passing of Pierre-Marie in June 2025. The estate produces a focused lineup: the flagship Cornas from the oldest vines (typically 40 to over 100 years old), Cornas Renaissance (produced since 1998 from younger vines of 20 to 30 years), a Côtes du Rhône red, and a Côtes du Rhône blanc from Saint-Péray (a blend of Marsanne and Roussanne). The domaine spans approximately 8.5 hectares across Cornas and Saint-Péray and remains a Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant exclusive import in the United States. Production is deliberately limited, maintaining the quality focus that has defined the estate since Auguste first bottled under his own label.

• The flagship Cornas is blended from five to six parcels of the oldest vines, with Reynards, La Côte, and Sabarotte forming the backbone
• Cornas Renaissance, introduced in 1998, is made from younger vines (20 to 30 years old) and is intended for earlier consumption than the grand vin
• The domaine also produces a Côtes du Rhône red and a Saint-Péray white (Marsanne and Roussanne) under the Côtes du Rhône appellation
• Olivier Clape now leads the estate, continuing the family's commitment to whole-cluster vinification, hand farming, and aging in neutral old foudres