Domaine Auguste Clape
Cornas
Cornas
2022
Vintage
Varietal
Syrah
ABV
Where it is, June 2026
Too Young: holding.
In May 2026 the 2022 Clape Cornas is deeply in its pre-peak phase, with the drinking window not opening until 2030 and the true peak not expected until 2035-2050. Opening a bottle now is an act of curiosity or sacrifice. The tannins are massive and the fruit is concentrated and primary, with little of the tertiary complexity that will define this wine in fifteen years beginning to emerge. If you must open a bottle, plan for a minimum three-hour decant in the widest decanter available. The wine will show something impressive but not yet close to its full expression. For the patient collector, this is a bottle to revisit across decades, with each successive opening revealing new layers of savory, mineral and fruit complexity.
The ‘22 Cornas.
A massive, brooding 2022 Cornas from the reference domaine of the appellation, built on granite-rooted Syrah with extraordinary aging potential extending to 2055.
Drinking window
Tasting note
The 2022 Domaine Auguste Clape Cornas is one of the most serious bottles to emerge from the Northern Rhone in a decade that has delivered several exceptional vintages. Dark, dense and brooding, the wine fills the glass with an almost opaque inky-black color. The nose is a study in power and complexity: blackberry and steeped plum announce themselves first with deep, dark-fruit authority. Acai berry adds an exotic richness to the fruit spectrum, while violet and fresh herbs provide an aromatic lift that counterbalances the darkness below. Mint and bouquet garni add a herbal dimension that speaks to the garrigue of the Northern Rhone. Game and iron emerge as secondary aromas, pointing toward the savory complexity that will deepen significantly with age. Loamy soil and cigar box complete the portrait. On the palate the wine is imposing and commanding, with crafted tannins of considerable size and substance. The mid-palate has the meaty depth that made Clape Cornas famous, and the finish is very long and resolute. This is a wine that demands patience and rewards it enormously.
The 2022 vintage
The 2022 vintage in Cornas and the Northern Rhone was shaped by the most extreme heat and drought conditions in living memory. The summer of 2022 was exceptionally hot and dry across France, and the Northern Rhone's granite-terraced vineyards experienced conditions that accelerated ripening dramatically. For Syrah on granite, the combination produced wines of unprecedented concentration and depth, with fruit showing extraordinary color, phenolic development and extract. Water stress was a concern in some areas but the ancient, deeply rooted vines of Cornas showed remarkable resilience. The resulting wines are regarded as exceptional and potentially generational in their aging capacity.
About Domaine Auguste Clape
Domaine Auguste Clape is the reference point for Cornas, the appellation against which all other Northern Rhone Syrahs are ultimately measured. Founded by Auguste Clape and now managed by his son Pierre-Marie and grandson Olivier, the domaine has maintained an unwavering commitment to traditional viticulture and minimal-intervention winemaking across generations. The vines, some of which are over 80 years old, are farmed with meticulous care on the steep granite terraces above the town of Cornas, and the wines are made with extended maceration and aging in large traditional vessels. The result is Syrah of uncompromising power and precision.
From the cellar: pair with
Slow-braised venison with root vegetable puree and juniper reduction
The wine's game and loamy soil notes find a natural partner in venison, and the juniper reduction mirrors the herbal complexity of a great Cornas.
Whole roast lamb with herbs and black olive
The meaty depth and violet perfume of Clape Cornas demand a preparation of equivalent weight and character. Whole roast lamb with herbes de Provence is the classic pairing.
Aged Comte with truffle honey
The wine's cigar box and iron notes find an intellectually compelling partner in aged Comte, with the truffle honey bridging the gap between the wine's savory complexity and the cheese's nutty depth.
Service & cellaring
- Serving Temp
- 17-18C / 63-64F
- Decanting
- Decant for a minimum of three hours if opening now, ideally in the widest decanter available. The wine is massively structured and requires very extended air exposure to show anything approaching its potential. Waiting until 2030 or beyond is the recommended approach.
- Cellar Storage
- 12-14C / 54-57F
The drinking window on this bottle is calculated with the Cellared Ageability Index (CAI) v1.0, a 10-factor model. Try the free drinking window calculator on any wine, or read when to drink wine for the practical signals.
More from Cornas
Frequently Asked
Why is Clape considered the reference producer in Cornas?
Auguste Clape was instrumental in establishing Cornas as a serious appellation from the 1970s onward, before the appellation received critical recognition. The domaine's commitment to old-vine, traditional winemaking across three generations has produced a consistent body of wines regarded as the benchmark for what Cornas can achieve.
How long should the 2022 Clape Cornas be cellared?
The drinking window opens in 2030 and peak expression is expected between 2035 and 2050. This is a wine for patient collectors who think in decades rather than years.
What makes Cornas different from other Northern Rhone appellations?
Cornas is produced entirely from Syrah with no blending of white varieties, and it is sourced exclusively from the steep granite terraces of the Cornas appellation. The wines tend to be the most concentrated and tannic of the Northern Rhone, requiring longer cellaring than Hermitage or Cote-Rotie.
Is 2022 an exceptional vintage for Clape?
Yes, the 2022 is considered among the most important vintages Clape has produced in modern times. The extreme heat and concentration of the vintage produced wines of unprecedented depth that are expected to age for at least thirty years.