A. Clape Cornas, 1983

The last bottle of this I opened two years ago was corked, but this bottle is a fine example of the old vine fruit and traditional winemaking of the highly regarded Auguste Clape.

Dark, some amber at rim and a great deal of crust on one side of the bottle. It has been well stored (by me) for nearly three decades. Clean Northern Rhone Syrah scents: cherries, berries, anise, lavender and minerals. Probably more minerals than anything else. Tannins have faded for easy drinking. Savory, red meat, sea salt. Very smooth and very long.

For my son's 30th birthday, I chose this 1983 Clape Cornas over the 1983 Domaine Thalabert Crozes Hermitage of Paul Jaboulet. It worked well but, based on previous tastings, I suspect the Thalabert might have been even better. While the Cornas was impressive, at this age it does not have the complexity that I have come to expect from older Thalaberts, particularly the very fine 1983.