1996 Domaine Auguste & Pierre-Marie Clape Cornas

Good fresh ruby-red. Pure but reticent aromas of dark berries and leather. Intense blackberry and floral flavors show an almost medicinal note of menthol. Strong acids leave it quite tightly wrapped. But finishes with very good length, and subtle, ripe fruit. A relatively low-pH wine for Clape, and in need of at least a few years of bottle aging. This should develop slowly, but it will never show the texture of the '97.