clape saint peray blanc 2022

a proud and uncompromising pioneer of fine winemaking in the northern rhône, his syrahs from the cru of cornas have earned their place among the most celebrated wines of france. the clapes have been vignerons for many generations, but the infamous grower strikes of 1906 and 1907 forced auguste's grandfather out of the languedoc and into the northern rhône to start anew from practically nothing. the clapes rebuilt their fortunes, terrace by terrace, along the steep, western slopes of the rhône river. for many years, the majority of growers in cornas sold their fruit to négociants. auguste was the first to bottle his own wine, which eventually paved the way for such contemporary superstars as thierry allemand. without pretense or fanfare, auguste, the former mayor of cornas, was a stately picture of grace and magnanimity - a no-nonsense wise man who never rested on his laurels and sought to better himself and his wines each year until his passing in 2018 at the age of 93. today, his son, pierre-marie, and grandson, olivier, carry on his legacy with honor and integrity. wine is fermented and aged in a combination of tank and foudre, depending on volume. richness, intensity and aromatic complexity perfectly define this wine. a great gastronomic white that will evolve and become more complex over the years. quince and pear. rich and ripe but not overly so, it's silky on the palate, fairly high in alcohol, enjoyably full and opulent, with a fresh core. includes a new parcel this year of 70-year-old marsanne, so is now around 90% marsanne, 10% roussanne. the rest is a mix of 60-year-old and seven-year-old vines. vinified in oak.