Delas Frères - Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes rouge 2021

Bettane & Desseauve

About wine:

Tasted before bottling. A more fruity and open nose than usual, rich and already accessible, even though the wine will close up after bottling. On the palate, fine, well-extracted tannins; this appellation fares better than others in this vintage. However, it will not keep for very long, a good ten years at most.

About the estate:

In his new facilities in the heart of Tain, Jacques Grange has a sublime, state-of-the-art facility at his disposal. He is assisted by Marco Beckmann, an Italian oenologist and fine taster. The next vintages look promising. In Hermitage, the new cuvée from the Grandes Vignes at the top of the hill reveals this little-exploited terroir.

Decanter

About wine:

Under the oak with cloves, the fruit is very present. Sweet, ripe, and with well-balanced acidity, this wine has a good sense of balance and elegance. Fresh, with an abundance of cinnamon spices and just-ripe forest berries, neither too much nor too little. A fairly concentrated Hermitage, to be enjoyed young, not very powerful, but with a certain natural class.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

Founded in 1835, owned since 1977 by Champagne Deutz (Roederer group). Under the management of Fabrice Rosset and his technical director Jacques Grange, it has 30 hectares of its own in the northern appellations, supplemented by grape purchases, with the southern range coming from the négociant-éleveur section.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

Part of the Deutz champagne group since 1977, itself part of the Louis Roederer group, Delas is a serious wine producer. Priority has been given to vineyards with extensive mass selection planting. It cultivates 30 hectares of its own land, including 10 very well-placed hectares in Hermitage: 8 in Les Bessards and 2 in L'Ermite. The house completes its range with purchases of musts or grapes. We admit to being a little wary of the overly pronounced aging of the most prestigious cuvées, which we believe would benefit from being worked closer to the fruit and freshness. It should be noted that, since 2019, the house has had a brand new winemaking and reception facility in Tain.

Wine Spectator

Jancis Robinson

James Suckling

About wine:

Very complex nose with notes of candied orange, cocoa powder, and spices. Remarkably harmonious for the vintage, with almost silky tannins, followed by an intense flinty character that gives the slightly sweet finish so much excitement. Aged entirely in oak barrels, a quarter of which are new, but only for 12 months. Ready to drink or keep.

Jeb Dunnuck

About wine:

The Hermitage Domaine Des Tourettes 2021 stands out clearly from the range and will be a rock-solid Hermitage. Darker raspberries, blackcurrants, classic oak, saddle leather, and a few meat notes define this beauty, and its medium-bodied palate is balanced and elegant. It has the fresher style of the vintage, but the tannins are ripe and present, the balance is perfect, and the intensity is good. It will be accessible in its youth, but I think it will evolve gracefully.