Wine Advisor
Delas, Cote Rotie Seigneur de Maugiron 2009
View analysis
Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 2009 Cote Rotie Seigneur de Maugiron exhibits lots of spice, raspberry, cassis, licorice, incense, Christmas fruitcake and fried bacon notes. The smokiness, seductiveness, lusciousness and medium to full-bodied, round, generous texture make for an endearing, sexy Cote Rotie to enjoy over the next 10-15 years. There is not much of the Cote Rotie La Landonne (approximately 500 cases produced), but it ranks alongside the great La Landonnes made by Marcel and Philippe Guigal. Another great negociant with significant vineyard holdings, and at the top of their game, is undeniably Delas, owned by the Louis Roederer/Deutz Champagne firm. Since they acquired Delas well over a decade ago, this firm has been under the management of Burgundian Jacques Grange, who has done an outstanding job producing a sensational array of wines. The 2009s appear to be their finest overall performances to date, and the 2010s are noteworthy successors in a more restrained, mineral dominated, crisper style. Jacques Grange did a fabulous job with his Cote Roties in both 2009 and 2010, the latter being a somewhat more challenging vintage in this appellation. The Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes (until the 2009 vintage, this offering was known as the Hermitage Marquise de la Tourette) is sensational in both 2010 and 2009. Three thousand cases of this cuvee are produced, and the wine is aged in French oak, 50% new. Importer: Maison Marques et Domaines, Oakland, CA; tel. (510) 587-2000
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
A strong effort, the 2009 Cote Rotie Seigneur de Maugiron is the softest of all Delas's 2009 Northern Rhones, offering up notes of black olives, lychee nuts, raspberries and black currants. This finesse-styled, elegant red should provide delicious drinking over the next 10-15 years. (Not yet released) Under the inspired leadership of winemaker/administrator Jacques Grange, who has carte blanche authority from the proprietors, the Louis Roederer/Deutz Champagne firm, Delas has been on a fabulous qualitative roll for over a decade. They have enjoyed some great successes, so it is hard to say 2009 may be the magnum opus of Jacques Grange, but it certainly looks fabulous. Importer: Maison Marques et Domaines, Oakland, CA; tel. (510) 587-2000
About the Producer
The famous Drass Frère wine company was founded in 1835. Since 1996, the spirit and soul that contributed to the reputation of quality wines has been restored. At present, the Dras brothers have a total of 30 hectares of vineyards, 10 of which are in the Emmettage-Hermitage appellation, 2 in Saint-Joseph and the remaining 18 in Croze-Hermitage. The steep granite hillsides provide favourable growing conditions for the vineyards of the Hermitage appellation, which produces the best quality wines. The grapes are hand-harvested and the fruit is intact and not prone to premature crushing, and in 1996 the estate was renovated by replacing all the old stainless steel fermentation vats with 85 litre concrete vats, and the 2,500 litre old oak barrels were replaced by 600 Burgundy oak barrels. The renovation of the equipment has allowed the winery to separate the fermentation of different batches of grapes, set the fermentation temperature according to the needs of the different varieties, and to monitor them in a targeted manner. The winery uses the gravity artesian method in the vinification process, where the fruit is crushed and poured by gravity into the fermentation vats. After fermentation and pressing, the wine is decanted into oak barrels where malolactic fermentation takes place. The main grape variety is Syrah, but the estate also produces some white wines, mainly made from Marsanne and Viognier. The wines of the Delas Brothers include Domaine des Tourettes, Les Bessards, Seigneur de Maugiron and Francois de Tournon. Francois de Tournon, among others.
