Delas Frères Crozes Hermitage Domaine des Grands Chemins

Rhône, France

Vintage:2020 (Current)

2017 (Past) | 2019 (Past) |

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Delas Frères Crozes Hermitage Domaine des Grands Chemins 2020
  • JD 95
  • WS 92
  • VFTC 91

Reviews

Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points March 2024, Jeb Dunnuck

“Reminding me of a classy Hermitage, the deep purple-hued 2020 Crozes-Hermitage Domaine Des Grands Chemins offers up a brilliant perfume of redcurrants, blackberries, saddle leather, lavender, and bouquet garni. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, richly textured, balanced Crozes that has velvety tannins, some classic northern Rhône gamey, peppery nuances, and a great finish. It needs a decant if drinking any time soon, but the tannins are supple and ripe, and this beauty will have a broad drink window. I wouldn't be surprised to see it still going strong at age 20. Bravo.”

View From the Cellar 91 Points September 2023, John Gilman

“The Domaine des Grands Chemins Crozes from Delas Frères is crafted entirely from vines that live in the le Chassis sector of the appellation, which is its heart. The wine is raised in a combination of stainless steel tanks and used Burgundy casks. The 2020 version offers up a lovely aromatic constellation of cassis, grilled meats, bonfire, coffee bean, pepper, stony soil tones and just a touch of cedar from the used oak. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied and nicely open on the attack, with a fine core of fruit, good soil undertow, suave tannins and fine focus and balance on the long and complex finish. Good juice that is already drinking nicely out of the blocks. 2023-2035+..”

Wine Spectator 92 Points February 28, 2023, James Molesworth

“Expressive, with welcoming black cherry and plum pâte de fruit aromas and flavors, gilded with violet and anise notes. Reveals a graphite edge on the finish. Tasty. Drink now through 2027.”

Overview

The Crozes-Hermitage "Domaine des Grands Chemins" is made from a blend of grapes that come exclusively from the Domaine des Grands Chemins, owned by Delas Frères. All the vineyard plots lie on benches known as "Le Chassis," formed at the junction between the rivers Isère and Rhône. The Crozes-Hermitage vineyards are the largest of the northern Rhône appellations. In the northern part, the soils are formed by the granite slopes that run on from those of Hermitage. In the south, soils are alluvial, stemming from glacier and river beds, with benches made up of rolled stones and silt from the Rhône river. Syrah is the main varietal grown, with Marsanne or Roussanne making up no more than 15 percent.

Winemaking

Grapes are hand-picked, plot by plot, at maximum levels of ripeness. Winemaking is traditional, with fermentation in open concrete tanks, following a cold-soaking. Daily cap-punching and pumping over provides extraction. The maceration phase lasts between 10 and 12 days. Maturing is conducted over a 14-month period, partly in tanks and partly in small Burgundian barrels that have already held one or two wines. Regular rackings introduce the necessary quantity of oxygen to round out the tannins.

Tasting Notes

The color is deep, with a garnet hue deepened by purple tinges. The nose shows seductive whiffs of crushed black fruit—dark cherries, blackberries and blackcurrants — that evolve in the glass to reveal slightly smoky and licorice notes, typical of "Le Chassis”. The texture is tannic but intense, pulpy, almost silky. This truly balanced wine expresses a nice complexity, generous and true to the genuine terroir of the Domaine des Grands Chemins. The wine's structure, along with its aromatic persistence, gives it a great potential for laying down.

Food Pairing

This wine pairs well with red meat, feathered game and lamb in pastry.
 

Technical Information

Varietals: 100% Syrah