Delas Frères Chante-Perdix Cornas 2020 (750ml)

 

Rated 95 Points by Vinous Media

 

Inky ruby.  Assertive, smoke-accented aromas of ripe black and blue fruits, candied flowers, olive and exotic spices show excellent clarity and mineral lift.  Sweet, pliant and lush on the palate, offering concentrated blackberry, cherry liqueur, smoky bacon and violet pastille flavors that show a peppery note on the back half.  The impressively long, youthfully tannic finish shows fine detail and leaves behind repeating smoke and floral notes.  Josh Raynolds, December 2022

 

Rated 94 Points by Jeb Dunnuck

 

“The 2020 Cornas Chante Perdrix comes from a mix of parcels and was brought up in a mix of new and used oak.  It's another stunning 2020 from this estate that has so much to love.  Revealing a deep plum hue as well as classic Cornas notes of red and black fruits (black cherries, fresh figs), smoked meats, leather, bay leaf, and graphite, it's rich, medium to full-bodied, has ripe tannins, and terrific overall balance.  As with just about all 2020s, it has ample up-front charm and character, yet this beauty is going to evolve gracefully over the coming 15-20 years.”  Jeb Dunnuck, March 2024

 

Rated 94 Points by Owen Bargreen

 

“The 2020 Delas ‘Chante-Perdrix’ Cornas is inky in the glass, with fantastic concentration and underlying finesse.  A bit tight to get going, this delivers copious dark fruit flavors alongside violets, graphite, tar and creme de cassis notes with dark chocolate shavings on the palate.  Fresh and vibrant, this is going to age gracefully.  Drink 2024-2039.”  February 8, 2024

 

Rated 93 Points by Wine Spectator

 

Dark and winey, with a well of steeped plum and smoked blackberry compote flavors layered with singed herb and vanilla-tinged cedar.  The silky texture is backed up with some acid verve and cast iron mineral intensity.  A modern-styled, attractive Cornas that shows good balance and tension.  Drink now through 2035.  1,083 Cases Made, 97 Cases Imported.  Kristen Bieler, May 2023

 

Rated 92 Points by Wine & Spirits

 

“Grown from a selection of south and southeast facing parcels, this wine layers saline, bright red fruit into a complex weave of purple berries and power.  It takes a day of air to shake its oak (between 20 to 30 percent of the barrels are new); decant it now or lay it down for at least five years.”  Corey Warren, April 2023

 

Delas Frères Chante-Perdix Cornas 2020

 

Country:  France

 

Region:  Northern Rhône

 

Varietal:  100% Syrah

 

The vineyard lies entirely on the commune of Cornas located on the right Rhône river bank.  The Cornas wines have been invariably famous since the 10th century.  They were served to kings, both in France and elsewhere.  AOC status and improved quality have enabled the vineyard to regain its reputation.

 

Tasting Notes

 

The color is an intense garnet red.  In its youth, this wine has strong blackcurrant aromas.  With time, the fruit aromas gradually fade, giving the way to hints of pepper and liquorice.  The palate is structured and has the strongly-defined flavors that are typical from this “terroir.”

 

Food Pairing & Serving Suggestions

 

Pair this wine with mixed grills such as wild mushrooms and spicy stews made with game.  This wine needs at least three years of cellaring before it can open up its complexity.  If kept for longer, the wine should be decanted before serving.

 

Winemaking

 

All the grapes used in the "Chante Perdrix" cuvée are picked by hand, plot by plot, at the time they reach their optimal maturity.  The winemaking takes place in traditional, open-topped concrete tanks, after 3 days pre-fermentary skin contact at cool temperatures.  The fermentation continues under computer controlled temperatures between 82°F to 86°F.  Daily cap pushing down and pumping over are carried out for about 10 days.  The total vatting time can be up to 20 days.

 

Cornas AOC Wine

 

Cornas is a French wine Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée in the northern Rhône wine region of France based in Cornas, south of Lyon.  It is one of the smallest appellations in the Rhône valley and produces only red wine, from the Syrah grape.

 

 

La Maison Delas Frères

 

The celebrated Delas Frères wine company was founded back in 1835.  Since 1996, the spirit and soul that contributed to its reputation for high quality wines have been restored.

 

The company's new management has made important investments in the Saint-Jean-de-Muzols production site near Tournon-sur-Rhône.

 

Its highly-motivated team is proud to play its part in the revival of the quality of this venerable Rhône Valley wine company.  A specially designed vat-house for the vinification of red wines, as well as a full restructuring of the ageing cellars, are among the new quality measures at Delas, all aimed at perpetuating and enhancing the expression of the Terroir.

 

Partner Wine Growers

 

Carefully selected partners complement our supply of Côte Rôtie, Condrieu, Cornas and other wines from areas where Delas Frères does not own vineyards.  Delas does not necessarily have contracts with its partner wine growers - trust and loyalty lie at the heart of the relationship.  We carry out technical monitoring throughout the growing year and set the exact harvest date depending on the maturity levels of the various parcels to guarantee delivery of the highest quality fruit.  The notion of "sharing” is very important at Delas and is expressed through our very successful "exchange of experience” policy.  This ensures the continual improvement in the quality of the wines produced from our suppliers' grapes.

 

 

Rated 93 Points by Wine Spectator

 

Dark and winey, with a well of steeped plum and smoked blackberry compote flavors layered with singed herb and vanilla-tinged cedar.  The silky texture is backed up with some acid verve and cast iron mineral intensity.  A modern-styled, attractive Cornas that shows good balance and tension.  Drink now through 2035.  1,083 Cases Made, 97 Cases Imported.  Kristen Bieler, May 2023