Winemaker Notes
Deep red color with hints of black. Complex bouquet with a blend of ripe red and black fruits, spices, licorice and tobacco flavours hilghlighted by the typical minty touch of La Clape. Full-bodied and elegant mouth structured by dense and remarkably silky tannins. Great lengh endowed with a nice freshness.
This wine is wonderful with game, red meat and sauce dishes. Try it with a serious T-bone!
Blend: 55% Mourvèdre, 25% Syrah, 20% Grenache
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 La Clape Grand Vin is a blend of 55% Mourvèdre, 25% Syrah and 20% Grenache. The Mourvèdre and Syrah are aged in second use barrels, while the Grenache ages in tank. The bouquet combines attractive notes of raspberries and blueberries, tying them together with strands of rosemary and bay leaf. Full-bodied and concentrated, it frames the ripe fruit with supple tannins and a briny edge on the finish.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
Essentially a mountain on France’s Mediterranean coast, La Clape's vineyards vary in elevation by as much as nearly 1,000 feet. This tiny region also boasts some of France’s highest total hours of sunshine and produces aromatic whites from the Bourboulenc variety as well as full-bodied red blends from the usual Rhône suspects.