This ancient region dates back to the Roman Era and is located on the right bank of the Rhône. It is said that during the Middle Ages, the Seigneur de Maugiron gave a hillside to each of his two daughters—one was brunette and the other fair—thus, were born the names of Côte Brune and Côte Blonde. Wines from the Côte Blonde tend to be more delicate and lighter in character than the fuller wines of the Côte Brune.

Maison Delas chose the Côte Brune for its wine: preferring the nurturing Demeter to the opulent Venus. But there is a reason for this: Delas loves the character of the wines from this slope. They combine presence with restraint, they defy time and never take the easy route—all qualities that the Maison values. And, as if this was not enough, the Maison also decided to use Syrah as a single variety, even though the appellation allows them to blend in a small proportion of Viognier to soften the powerful Syrah. The careful management of the winemaking and the ageing are sufficient to smooth out the corners of their Côte-Rôtie, the soul of this Côte Brune. 

The soils of the northern part of the Côte Brune vineyard consists of extremely steep, terraced slopes of ferruginous mica schists which are covered with schist sand (arzel). La Landonne, a .7-hectare single-vineyard plot selection, is only produced in the very best years, never exceeding 2,500 bottles per year since the first bottling in 1997. 

The harvest is carried out by hand. Once destemmed, the berries are transferred by gravity into truncated conical stainless steel vats. Gentle extraction is carried out mainly during the early stages of fermentation, using carefully calibrated pump-overs and punch-downs. After pressing, the wine is racked and transferred to barrels. Malolactic fermentation takes place in oak barrels, where the first phase of ageing occurs over six months, with 20% new oak. The second phase of ageing continues in 25 hectolitre foudres for 12 months, in order to bring breadth and balance without excessive oak influence. The cuvée is then blended back into stainless steel tanks for a final three-month refinement before bottling.

The wine‘s deep color is underscored by plummy hues. A complex nose shows deep, fruity aromas with hints of licorice and roasted coffee. Endowed with a dense and silky tannic structure, this is a full, fleshy wine that provides an ample and generous palate. Its lasting finish speaks of considerable ageing potential.

After a rainy end to 2022, an exceptionally dry winter and early spring led to early and uniform budburst. The wetter late spring, with no mistral winds, was offset by favorable flowering conditions, accelerating the vegetative cycle. Veraison progressed steadily in late July. The August heatwave hastened ripening in parts of the wineyard, sometimes resulting in heterogeneity between parcels. 

This wine pairs wonderfully with fine meats, roasted beef, water games, truffles and spicy stews. The bottle should be opened 1 to 3 hours before drinking. This wine needs at least 3 years cellaring before it can open up its complexity. In such case it is strongly recommended to decant before serving.