Côtes du Rhône Syrah, Domaine Auguste Clape 2020

Dark magenta. Intense dark fruit and floral scents, along with hints of olive paste, smoked meat and exotic spices. Sweet and expansive on the palate, offering bitter cherry and cassis flavors that are underscored by a vein of juicy acidity. Rich and broad but energetic as well, showing bright clarity and a lingering floral nuance on the long, youthfully tannic finish.

The 2020 Côtes Du Rhône is darker and richer, with more structure as well as medium to full-bodied richness, notes of pepper, violets, and game, ripe, present tannins, and a great finish. It unquestionably has classic Clape character and will keep for at least 7-8 years. Unfortunately, the price from this has skyrocketed over the coming decade, but it’s a terrific wine.

A bit more tannic and structured than the Le Vin des Amis, the 2020 Cotes du Rhone comes from a vineyard just on the other side of the road from Cornas—the soil is a bit stonier here than closer to the river, and the wine sees a little bit of time in foudre. Bottled the day before my visit, I found it less expressive on the nose than the Le Vin des Amis, but it was still imbued with ample cherry fruit and possessing a ripe, silky feel on the medium-bodied palate.