Delas Freres Chateauneuf du Pape Haute Pierre 2020
(Southern Rhone, France) - [WE 93] [JS 93] [DM 91]

Known primarily for their wines from the northern Rhône, the second generation of the Delas and Audibert families set their sights south on the iconic Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation. The Haute Pierre blend is the result of a longstanding relationship between Delas Frères and a small group of historic partner growers who consistently deliver harvests that conform with the Maison's ethos and exacting standards. 

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.

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.

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.

Varietals: 90% Grenache, 10% Syrah

Soil Composition: Red clay and quartz