2017 Cornas Chante-Perdrix

The Delas team has finally moved into their new, hyper-modern and expansive winemaking facility, which sits in the heart of Tain l’Hermitage, surrounding the original cellars and home of Paul Jaboulet. It’s a stunning showcase operation built to the specifications of winemakers Jacques Grange and Claire Darnaud, with no expense spared, which was possible because Delas is a branch of the Rouzaud family’s Louis Roederer empire. The wines have been going from strength to strength for over a decade Darnaud and Grange described the 2017s as coming from “a strange season that started off fast, maybe too fast, and quickly turned cold.” Vine vigor slowed to a crawl, and then “it turned extremely hot, which kicked the vines back up to speed,” such that harvest began almost two weeks ahead of schedule. “The fruit was ripe and clean, but because it was so dry, the crop in many areas was very low and the grapes could be small.” While the 2017s definitely lead with their fruit, there’s a bedrock of tannins to them as well, which makes me think they’ll surprise people with their ability to reward some patience.

For Rhône fans whose tastes run to opulent, fruit-driven and forward wines 2017 should be right up their alley, Claire Darnaud told me. They fall well outside the 2010 or 2015 style of structure, she said, but they have more opulence than the 2012s, 2013s, 2014s and 2016s, placing them in a decidedly unique style for recent vintages. That said, the Delas 2017s are in no way lacking for energy, while they are definitely leading with their fruit. They display a suave interplay of richness and verve, with adequate tannins for aging positively into their second decade.