Olivier Clape

The Climb

Ownership and winemaking at Domaine Auguste Clape ask for precision in the vineyard and restraint in the cellar. Olivier Clape carries both roles at the estate, where the tempo is set by Cornas itself. Grapes are allowed to reach full ripeness before harvest, each parcel is vinified separately, and the wines rest in old foudres. The method is direct: preserve what each parcel gives, then let age do its work without stripping away character. Language around the wines stays equally compact. On one wine, Olivier Clape puts it this way: “It has gourmandise, is a Cornas d'Auguste, pepper and balance.” The note is enough to locate the style: spice, structure, and a measured generosity, with no need for overstatement.

Today

Today’s work at the domaine follows the same logic. Full ripeness is not hurried, parcel by parcel vinification remains in place, and the wines continue into long aging in old foudres. The approach is practical and rooted in the site: each decision is made to hold onto the grain of the vineyard rather than smooth it away.

Signature

Olivier's signature wines include DOMAINE A. CLAPE CORNAS, DOMAINE A. CLAPE CORNAS RENAISSANCE, and DOMAINE A. CLAPE Saint Peray. Read together, the three wines define the domaine’s range: Cornas in its classic form, Renaissance as a variant within that frame, and Saint Peray as the family’s work in another Rhône Valley register.

In Their Words “It has gourmandise, is a Cornas d'Auguste, pepper and balance.”