Winemaker Notes
The nose combines aromas of cherry, cocoa, with notes of vanilla and tobacco. On the palate, this rich, dense and smooth wine offers delicious blackberry flavors. It is powerful, smooth and reveals extraordinary persistence thanks to a finish with perfectly ripe tannins.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Coming from arguably one of the most beautiful landscapes in the Languedoc, the La Clape AOC just outside of Narbonne, the 2020 Coteaux Du Languedoc La Clape Porte Du Ciel comes from Syrah vines planted in the early 1990s and was destemmed and brought up all in new barrels. This dense purple-hued effort offers up a gorgeous perfume of blackcurrant liqueur, black cherries, blueberries, smoke game, violets, and iodine, and the purity of fruit is truly spectacular. Blockbuster stuff in every way, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness and a deep, opulent mouthfeel that carries lots of ripe tannins, terrific mid-palate depth, and one incredible finish. Despite all its baby fat, there's ample underlying structure, and it has a terrific sense of freshness. Reminding me slightly of the 2016 with its mix of power and elegance, it's another tour de force in Syrah from this incredible estate.
Barrel Sample: 97-100 -
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Picked approximately 10 days earlier than normal, the 2020 La Clape La Porte du Ciel (a prospective blend of two barrels) shows more expressive Syrah character than the 2019, with hints of cracked pepper and black licorice accenting wild blueberries. It's full-bodied, creamy and lush, supple and rich, yet not heavy, with a long, gently briny finish.
Barrel Sample: 96-98
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.