Auguste Clape, Cornas’ reference

The history of domaine Auguste Clape dates back to the 19th century

With the arrival of phylloxera in Cornas in 1865 and the First World War, the vineyard tended to decline. It was in 1925 that Antoinette Frugier, heir to the estate, began producing wine in bulk for the merchants of Saint Peray and the bistros of Valence. In 1949 his daughter Ariette took over the 4 hectares with her husband Auguste Clape. With the help of other producers in the appellation, the Clape couple created the wine market in Cornas. The domaine Auguste Clape is today one of the largest in the Rhône Valley.

His son Pierre-Marie, after a stint at the Tempier estates and the Vieux Télégraphe, joined the estate in 1988 and continues the approach of reasoned work that his father initiated. His grandson Olivier also arrived in 2002 with his experience in Napa Valley, Australia and New Zealand.

The harvest is manual and the vinification is done in whole clusters.

100% Syrah, maturing for two years in concrete vats then in old tuns. The result is straightforward and distinguished wines, endowed with a sobriety that allows them to stand the test of time with panache. Only 2 vintages are produced: Cornas with vines aged 40 to 90 years. Renaissance with younger vines.

Auguste Clape passed away in 2018, passing on an estate that was a benchmark for the appellation and which faces the future with serenity.

Area: 8.8 ha; Production: 30,000 bottles/year; Average age of vines: 45 years; Red grape varieties: Syrah; White grape varieties: Roussanne, Marsanne