Delas Frères Châteauneuf-du-Pape Haute Pierre

Rhône, France

Vintage:2019 (Past)

2020 (Current)

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Delas Frères Châteauneuf-du-Pape Haute Pierre 2019
  • WS 92
  • WA 91+

Reviews

Wine Spectator 92 Points February 28, 2023, Kristen Bieler

“Features melted red licorice, fresh currant, spiced fruit cake and raspberry tart flavors that are inviting and supple yet quickly firm up on the palate, thanks to fine-grained tannins and red tea-laced acidity. Reveals good tension and persistence. Grenache and Syrah. Best from 2025 through 2038.”

The Wine Advocate 91+ Points May 5, 2022, Joe Czerwinski

“Delas's 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Haute Pierre is a blend of Grenache and Syrah vinified in concrete and aged in foudre. Remarkably, I still detected hints of cedar on the nose, joined by notes of leather, clove and raspberries. It's full-bodied and reasonably supple, except for some woody tannins. While it came across as a bit disjointed, in a few years this should come together nicely.”

Overview

Located between Avignon and Orange, wines from the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation are among the most prestigious of the southern Rhône. These blended wines are made from grapes grown in the region's hills with very stony soil of varying depth. The soil is comprised of red sandy clay and quartz stones. The climate is the driest area of the Côtes du Rhône where the “Mistral” wind is predominant. The large round stones on the soil, act as a “storage heater,” soaking up the sun's heat during the day, then releasing it during the night. The Delas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge is a negociant wine made of grapes from growers with whom the winery has worked for decades.

Winemaking

After harvest, the grapes are crushed, destemmed and fermented in open cement tanks for ten days. Maceration lasts eight to ten days to obtain a high extraction of flavors and carbolic acid. After de-vatting and pressing, malolactic fermentation takes place in vats. The wine is drawn off under aeration, to enable natural stabilization to take place. It then goes into 60 hectoliter oak tuns for a period of 8 to 14 months.

Tasting Notes

The color is a deep garnet red. The nose of the “Haute Pierre” has strong spicy aromas that reveal a rich, powerful body that is delicate, yet has a tightly-knit tanninc framework. On the palate, the wine is rich and unctuous, revealing intense licorice-like flavors. It can easily be kept 10 years or more.

Food Pairing

Ideal with the traditional French and “Provençal” type-stews, along with braised and grilled meats.

Technical Information

Varietals: 90% Grenache, 10% Syrah

Soil Composition: Red clay and quartz