Delas Frères Crozes Hermitage Le Clos
Rhône, France
Vintage:2019 (Past)
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Reviews
Jeb Dunnuck
94+ Points
August 11, 2022, Jeb Dunnuck
“A smaller production release, the 2019 Crozes-Hermitage Le Clos hails from the Les Saviots lieu-dit and was brought up mostly in neutral oak. It's a denser, more closed wine offering serious aromatics of ripe black and blue fruits, scorched earth, graphite, and saddle leather, with an almost Hermitage-like sense of meatiness and power. Full-bodied and concentrated on the palate, with notable purity, it has some background oak, ripe tannins, good freshness, and a great finish. It needs to be forgotten for at least 3-4 years and will keep for well over a decade. It's a brilliant wine.”
The Wine Advocate
93 Points
January 20, 2022, Joe Czerwinski
“The 2019 Crozes-Hermitage le Clos managed to escape hail damage but remains an intense, concentrated effort. Hints of violets and garrigue appear on the nose alongside cassis and black cherries, while the full-bodied palate is supple, leading into a long, licorice-tinged finish. Drink it over the next decade or so. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.”
Wine Spectator
93 Points
December 31, 2021, James Molesworth
“Sleek and refined, with a smoldering bay and cast iron hints along the edges of a core of dark cherry and plum preserve notes. Juicy, yet restrained, iron-tinged finish. Drink now through 2030.”
Vinous Media
92-94 Points
May 2020, Josh Raynolds
“A deeply perfumed bouquet evokes ripe black/blue fruits, olive and potpourri, and a mineral element adds lift. Sappy and penetrating on the palate, offering broad-shouldered boysenberry, bitter cherry and candied violet flavors that are given spine and lift by a core of juicy acidity. Shows sharp focus on the penetrating finish, where dusty, slow-building tannins add gentle grip and focus.”
Overview
The Crozes-Hermitage vineyards are the largest of the northern Rhône appellations. Syrah is the main varietal grown, with Marsanne or Roussanne making up no more than 15 percent. The Crozes-Hermitage "Le Clos"cuvée is a vineyard plot selection. The grapes come exclusively from "Le Clos" vineyard on the choice plain area known as "Le Chassis" on the left bank of the Rhône.
This wine is only made in the very best years and its production is deliberately limited to 7,000 bottles per year.
Winemaking
The soil varies from granite subsoils in the North to both fluvial-glacial alluviums and terraces of rolled river bed stones, mixed with loess in the South. The climate has a southerly exposure in the hillside areas. The “Mistral” is the dominant wind. “Le Clos” grapes are harvested manually at optimum maturity. Fermentation is carried out in the traditional way in open-topped concrete tanks, following a two-day period of skin contact at low temperature. Fermentation follows at controlled temperatures from 82°F to 86°F. Daily cap pushing down and pumping over is kept up for about 10 days, with a total maceration period up to 20 days. Maturation lasts for 14 to 16 months in oak barrels, which have already held wine for one to three years. These are regularly racked in order to provide the necessary oxygen to the tannins for an optimum maturing.
Tasting Notes
This cuvée has a deep ruby red color, with garnet tinges. The nose shows aromas of stewed black fruit dominated by cassis and blackberries. As it opens up, it reveals hints of leather and game. The palate is perfectly balanced, with a combination of suave delicacy and considerable volume. The finish is lifted by flavors of very ripe black cherries.
Food Pairing
This wine pairs well with a variety of grilled meats.
Technical Information
Varietals: 100% Syrah
Suggested Retail Price: $59.00