CLAPE

August Clape, at 86 years old, is one of the few remaining old heroes of French winemaking, an icon whose name is synonymous with some of the best wines in the Rhone, and some say the world. Clape is affectionately called the King of Cornas, both because his wines are widely considered to be the best from this tiny appellation and because he has sometimes single-handedly fought to maintain its integrity and recognition over the years. Certainly anyone who has decided to seriously explore Syrah cannot consider themselves educated until they have had a Clape Cornas, a legendary wine with an impressive mineral rich masculine firmness, ruggedness and long-lived complexity that is unmatched by wines from the nearby appellations of St Joseph, or even Hermitage. Perhaps due to the fact many of his vines are now approaching 100yrs of age.