Delas : Sainte Epine 2023

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for the Sainte-Épine 2023 from Delas Frères

Tasting

Colour

The colour is a deep ruby red with purple and violet highlights, revealing a fine phenolic concentration.

Nose

The nose unveils a complex bouquet of ripe black fruits (blackcurrant, blackberry), floral notes of violet, touches of menthol and spicy nuances. Hints of smoked meat, graphite and mild tobacco complete an aromatic palette that is both generous and restrained.

Palate

The attack immediately captivates with the quality of its tannins, dense and fine, wrapped in a concentrated body with flavours of black and red fruits. The texture is seamless and velvety, carried by a vibrant minerality that brings freshness and tension. The very long finish stands out for its precision and airy character, combining power and delicacy.

Food and Wine Pairing

This wine is ideally paired with grilled or roasted red meats, such as a côte de bœuf or a dry-aged entrecôte, as well as furred game prepared in a sauce or as a civet. It also pairs very well with characterful slow-cooked dishes, such as braised beef or confit beef cheeks, whose rich juices echo the structure of the wine.

Serving and Cellaring

It is recommended to decant the Sainte-Épine 2023 several hours before serving to help it open up. The ideal serving temperature is between 16 and 18°C, in a large glass of the Bordeaux or Rhône type. This wine, suited to cellaring, is best enjoyed from around 2026.

Sainte-Épine 2023: a single-plot Saint-Joseph sculpted in granite

The estate

Founded in 1835 in Tournon-sur-Rhône, Delas Frères has established itself as a historic player in the northern Rhône Valley. Owned by Champagne Deutz since 1977, it has belonged to the Louis Roederer group since 1993. Today, Delas combines the négociant tradition with a plot-focused approach, drawing on a heritage of prestigious lieux-dits such as Les Bessards in Hermitage and Sainte-Épine in Saint-Joseph. All of the vineyards it farms have been certified High Environmental Value (HVE) Level 3 since 2018 and organic since 2024.

The vineyard

Sainte-Épine is a plot of less than one hectare, nestled in the heart of the Saint-Joseph appellation, in the commune of Saint-Jean-de-Muzols. Set within a natural south-east-facing amphitheatre, it lies on decomposed granite soil, the geological counterpart of that of Les Bessards in Hermitage. This topographical and geological setting gives the Syrah a taut, vibrant mineral framework, conducive to a natural concentration of aromas.

The vintage

The tasting notes for the 2023 vintage reflect conditions that allowed full ripeness and remarkable aromatic concentration, resulting in a dense, precise wine, praised by international critics as one of the highlights of the Delas range.

Vinification and ageing

The grapes for the Sainte-Épine 2023 are hand-harvested and then fully destemmed before fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, with gentle extractions. The wine is then aged for 18 months in Burgundy barrels, with a minority proportion of new oak, before a final blending in stainless steel tanks for three months prior to bottling.

Grape variety

This wine is made from 100% Syrah.