The wine in this lot has a score of 92 from Robert Parker and the following tasting note -A blend of young-vine fruit from Reynard and Patou with old-vine fruit from Sabarotte, the 2016 Cornas Renaissance is impressive for its outstanding texture—tender, silky and almost delicate—allied to dark, earthy notes of black olives and blackberries. It's approachable young yet should drink well for a decade. One of the great historic names in Cornas is getting a new home, with a winery under construction virtually across the street from the existing cellars. As a result, I met owner Pierre-Marie Clape for dinner up the road in Saint-Péray instead of visiting the domaine. While this limited the number of wines we could taste, the restaurant (La Ruche—small but recommended) is a strong supporter of the estate, so we were able to enjoy a bottle of the 2006 off the wine list in addition to the 2016s Pierre-Marie brought from home. We did at least talk about the 2017 and 2018 vintages. In 2017, Clape said the harvest started on September 3, with average sugar levels equivalent to 14.2% or 14.3% alcohol. "The grapes ripened really quickly, because there were so few of them," he said. Harvest in 2018 started on September 5, but sugar levels were approximately a degree lower. As Clape summed up, "The best terroirs can handle anything." A visit to these ancient cellars in the heart of Cornas is a trip back in time, with a ride on the tiny 1950s-era freight elevator almost the only concession to modernity. Most of the magic takes place in the cellar’s ancient foudres, which add their own sense of mystery and history to the wines. Pierre-Auguste Clape took time out from his retirement to taste me through an array of wines, as his son was at another appointment. According to Pierre-August, “It’s too soon to call 2015 the vintage of the century.” That said, the 2015 Cornas is not to be missed.