Cornas, Domaine Auguste Clape 2019

JebDunnuck.com #3 Wine of 2023The 2019 Cornas flirts with perfection and isn't far off the heavenly 2015. As with the Renaissance, it has a sunny, perfumed, exotic character as well as an incredible bouquet of black cherries, blueberries, ground pepper, game, and leather. Full-bodied, massive, and concentrated on the palate, it packs substantial tannins, is perfectly balance, and has a great, great finish. Cornas doesn't get much better, ladies and gentlemen. Do your best to give bottles 4-5 years, and it will keep thereafter for two decades.

I love the enveloping nose of smoke, cocoa powder and damson plum that pulls you deep into this very concentrated Cornas with its rich, velvety tannins and stony minerality that run very smoothly through the long, complete finish. Drink or hold.

Tremendously dense and powerful, the 2019 Cornas is a dazzling, dark-fruited beast that's loaded with mint, cassis and licorice notes. Full-bodied and almost overflowing with intensity, it somehow manages to pull all that impressive richness and extract into a silky, fine-grained finish of amazing length and elegance. Unless you are hell-bent on trying it on release, give it some time in the cellar—it should be peaking around 2035 or so.

More blue fruits, candied violets, iron, smoked meats, and truffly notes emerge from the 2019 Cornas. A bigger, richer wine, offering full-bodied richness, building, beautiful tannins, and just about flawless balance, it almost reminds me of the 2010, which is just now starting to drink brilliantly.