Delas Cotes du Rhone Rouge Saint-Esprit 2023

Delas Cotes du Rhone Rouge Saint-Esprit is a generous, Syrah-led Rhône red filled with blackberry, plum, violet, liquorice and warm spice. Grenache adds ripe fruit and roundness, while the granite-grown Syrah brings savoury detail, freshness and fine tannin. Delas has made wine in the Rhône since 1835, and Saint-Esprit offers an approachable taste of the house style without demanding years in the cellar. Smooth, flavour-packed and ready for the table, it is a fine match for lamb chops, barbecued sausages, grilled vegetables or a hearty tomato-based dish.

What the winery says:

The 2023 is approximately 60% Syrah and 40% Grenache, sourced from a small village in the Ardèche where the vines grow on steep, south-facing granite hillsides. The grapes are destemmed, then fermented and macerated in closed vats for around 15 days with daily pump-overs. Malolactic fermentation takes place in stainless steel, followed by eight months of maturation in vat to preserve the fruit aromas. Delas describes a deep plum colour, classic Syrah notes of berries, violet and liquorice, and a full, rounded palate with delicate tannins.

What the experts say:

Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, 93 Points and 5 Stars (2023)
“Generously fruited with complexity, the wine shows blackberry, star anise, clove, smoked meat, and toasted almond characters on the nose. The palate displays good weight and silky texture, splendidly supported by layers of fine tannins, finishing harmonious and delectable. At its best: now to 2031.”

Cameron Douglas MS, 93 Points, Excellent (2023)
“Classic, fruity, dry, textured and delicious. A wine with core flavours of spiced and fresh plums, an earthy soil qualities and textured from tannin and leesy flinty seams. Medium+ weighted with some sweetness from the use of oak, an abundance of tannins, fine with lots of polish, then crunch and freshness from the acid line. A fruity red berry and plum core, textures and lots of mouthfeel with a balanced, even finish. Best drinking from day of purchase through 2029.”

Anna-Christina Cabrales, Wine Enthusiast, 91 Points (2023)
“Muddled black plum, apricot skin and boysenberry aromas frolic on the nose accented by hibiscus and violet blossom. Prominent black fruit on the palate leans against red raspberry on the finish that slightly-grippy tannins enhance. Pair with a bacon cheeseburger, lamb chop and roasted eggplant.”