Delas : Le Clos 2017

An aromatic and delicate wine from Crozes-Hermitage

The estate

Founded in 1835, the Delas Frères House is a reference amongst northern Rhone Valley wines. Although its takeover by the Deutz Champagne House in 1977 marked the beginning of a new era, the house’s international development will continue thanks to its acquisition by the Rouzaud family in 1993, a majority shareholder of the Louis Roederer group.

The vineyard

The Delas Frères House overlooks a vineyard spread over three exceptional appellations in the Rhone Valley: Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage and Saint-Joseph. In order to magnify the expression of each of these terroirs, the vinification and ageing are carried out by plot.

The wine

The Clos 2017 by Delas is exclusively produced during great years from a rigorous selection of grapes which come from the Clos and the plain in Chassis within the Crozes-Hermitage appellation.

Winemaking and ageing

The grapes, which are harvested at optimal ripeness, are vinified in open concrete vats after two days of cold pre-fermentation maceration. Fermentation in thermoregulated vats (28-30°C) accompanied by daily punching down and pumping over for about 10 days. Vatting lasts for around twenty days. Ageing, which lasts for 10 to 14 months in one- to three-year-old barrels, is interspersed with regular racking to provide the oxygen necessary for the tannins to properly ripen.

Blend

The Clos 2017 by Delas is a 100% Syrah wine.

Tasting

Colour

The wine is a deep, beautiful ruby colour with garnet tints.

Nose

The nose opens with fragrances of stewed black fruits (blackcurrants, blackberries). At aeration, the bouquet becomes increasingly complex, exuding subtle notes of leather and venison.

Palate

Balanced and delicate, the palate seduces with its full-bodiedness and smoothness as well as its finish, which holds notes of very ripe black cherries.

Food and wine pairings

The Clos 2017 by Delas goes perfectly with waterfowl, an assortment of grilled or marinated meats or poultry.