The 2010 Cornas Renaissance may be the finest example of the cuvee I have yet tasted. This offering represents about one-third of the Clape production and tends to come from two well-known sites in the natural amphitheater of Cornas, Les Sabarottes and Geynale. This astonishing 2010 boasts a black/purple color along with gorgeous, explosive aromatics consisting of blue and black fruits and spring flowers, a full-bodied, layered texture and superb intensity. Very pure with sweet tannin, it was bottled unfiltered after 22 months in primarily foudre, and should drink well for two decades.
An historic reference point in Cornas is the estate of the retired Auguste Clape, which has been run over the last decade by his talented son, Pierre-Marie. This estate may have produced their finest wines to date in 2009, but the 2011s and 2010s rival anything produced at this family-owned, tiny boutique producer. They offer two cuvees of Cornas with the Renaissance representing their younger vines (although most of those are between 30 and 50 years of age). The top cuvee, simply called Cornas, has been a favorite of mine since the late seventies.
Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524