Delas Freres Les Bessards Hermitage 2018
Vintage
2018
Region
Hermitage, Northern Rhone
Country
France
Style
Still
Grape Varieties
100% Syrah
ABV
Dietary
-
Sustainability
-
Delas Freres
Founded 160 years ago in the heart of the northern Côtes du Rhône, Delas Freres today crafts world class wines from both northern and southern Rhône.
Tending the steep sloping vineyards, which total some 30 hectares of vines, the team adapt their growing practices to each plot of vines to let the terroir of the Rhône shine through in the wines.
Crafted by winemaker Jacques Grange (who is originally from Burgundy), the wines from Delas Freres epitomise finesse and elegance. Recent vintages from the vineyards of Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Côte Rôtie, Condrieu, Côtes-du-Rhône and Côtes-du-Ventoux have bee lauded in the press for their intensity of flavour and excellent value.
Vinification
Harvesting for “Les Bessards” is entirely manual and occurs when the grapes show optimum ripeness. Fermentation takes place in traditional, open-topped concrete tanks after two days of pre-fermentary skin contact at cool temperatures. Fermenting continues at controlled temperatures of 82°F to 86°F (28°C to 30°C). Daily cap punching and pumping over are carried out for about 10 days, with a total maceration period of up to 20 days. Maturation lasts between 12 and 14 months in oak barrels, which are new or have already held one wine. These are regularly racked in order to provide the tannins with enough oxygen for an optimum maturing.
2018
The 2018 Hermitage vintage was hailed as exceptional, with ideal growing conditions contributing to wines of remarkable depth and concentration. A warm and dry growing season, balanced by timely rains, allowed the grapes to achieve perfect ripeness, resulting in wines with intense, dark fruit flavours, rich tannins, and vibrant acidity. The vintage is noted for its powerful structure and longevity, with many producers crafting wines that are expected to age gracefully over decades. 2018 Hermitage is a standout vintage.
Tasting Note
The wine is a brilliant, deep red hue with lots of depth. The nose shows great class, with soft aromas of blackberries and violets. Hermitage “Les Bessards” shows plenty of concentration in its fruit. This is a wine with a particularly dense tannic structure, and extremely good balance.
Food Pairing
This wine pairs well with red meats, rare or medium cooked – game, marinated meats and spicy stews. This wine needs at least three years cellaring before it can open up its complexity. After this time, it should be decanted before serving. It is recommended you open the bottle one to three hours before drinking.
