Domaine Clape "Le Vin des Amis" Rouge, Rhône Valley, France 2023

FROM KERMIT LYNCH:

THE WINE: 100% Syrah. Vineyards are situated between the village of Cornas and the Rhône river. Whole grape clusters are fermented with natural yeasts in open air cement tanks with punch-downs or pump-overs twice a day over 12 days. Malolactic fermentation occurs in foudre. Fermented and aged in cement tanks, then 2 month passage in foudres before bottling.

THE PRODUCER: In the world of wine, there are many good winegrowers. However, there are only a very select few who are truly great, and Auguste Clape will go down in history as one of the greats. A proud and uncompromising pioneer of fine winemaking in the Northern Rhône, his Syrahs from the cru of Cornas have earned their place among the most celebrated wines of France. The Clapes have been vignerons for many generations, but the infamous grower strikes of 1906 and 1907 forced Auguste's grandfather out of the Languedoc and into the Northern Rhône to start anew from practically nothing. The Clapes rebuilt their fortunes, terrace by terrace, along the steep, western slopes of the Rhône River. For many years, the majority of growers in Cornas sold their fruit to négociants. Auguste was the first to bottle his own wine, which eventually paved the way for such contemporary superstars as Thierry Allemand. Without pretense or fanfare, Auguste, the former mayor of Cornas, was a stately picture of grace and magnanimity—a no-nonsense wise man who never rested on his laurels and sought to better himself and his wines each year until his passing in 2018 at the age of 93. Today, his son, Pierre-Marie, and grandson, Olivier, carry on his legacy with honor and integrity.

NOTE: This bottle is allocated and therefore stock is limited. Discounts do not apply to this product.