Delas : Haute Pierre 2022

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for Haute Pierre 2022 by Delas

Tasting

Appearance

The colour is a deep, intense garnet.

Nose

The nose is intense, blending spices, liquorice and ripe fruit. It also opens onto notes of meat and earth, along with touches of candied bitter orange and sandalwood.

Palate

On the palate, this Châteauneuf-du-Pape is powerful, medium- to full-bodied, with a generous texture. The tannins are dense yet well integrated. The finish is long and harmonious.

A rich, spicy red Châteauneuf-du-Pape from the Rhône Valley by Delas

The estate

Founded in 1835 in Tournon-sur-Rhône under the name Maison Junique, Delas was taken over in 1870 by Philippe Delas and Charles Audibert, before becoming Delas Frères in 1924. Based in Tain-l'Hermitage, in the Rhône Valley, it combines négoce activity with estate winegrowing, with vineyards in Hermitage in particular, and also produces Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Acquired by Champagne Deutz in 1977, it was bought along with Deutz in 1993 by the Louis Roederer group, controlled by the Rouzaud family. Fabrice Rosset has been at its helm since 1996.

The vineyard

Haute Pierre is a wine from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, an appellation located north of Avignon. It comes from alluvial terraces of red clay covered with rounded quartz pebbles. These very stony soils drain rainwater well. The pebbles store heat during the day and release it at night, which promotes the ripening of the grapes. The area is one of the driest in the Côtes du Rhône. It is swept by the mistral and enjoys abundant sunshine. Delas describes this cuvée as a selection of the finest expressions of Grenache, grown on the appellation's historic soils.

The vintage

2022 ranks among the driest and earliest vintages of the decade. Drought set in from winter, and budburst was delayed by cold temperatures. A warm, bright spring led to one of the earliest harvests in the last twenty years. The summer saw several heatwave episodes, which concentrated the berries and limited yields. A few welcome rains averted the most severe ripening blockages.

Winemaking and ageing

The winemaking of this red Châteauneuf-du-Pape is traditional, in concrete tanks. The gentle, perfectly controlled extraction preserves the delicate expression of the fruit in a hot, dry vintage. Malolactic fermentation takes place in tank. The wine is then aged in large concrete tanks and oak barrels, adding complexity and depth without letting the oak dominate. Racking with exposure to air supports the wine's natural stabilisation.

Grape varieties

Grenache and Syrah.