Delas Crozes Hermitage 2022

100% Syrah from the Crozes-Hermitage appellation, where river-terrace pebbles and clay in the south meet granite soils around Gervans and Larnage in the north. Fully destemmed and fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel for gentle extraction, with a portion of the blend seeing used barrels to refine the structure. Dark, concentrated fruit — cassis, plum, violet — runs into black pepper and an iron-like savouriness. Muscular enough to cellar, lively enough to open tonight.

This is the Les Launes bottling, and the fruit comes from the Les Chassis area of the appellation. About four fifths of it grows on the old river gravels and the rest on granite, with the hillside blocks facing south into the sun. Delas buys from the same growers year after year rather than owning the vines.

The grapes are hand picked. The ferment runs in open concrete tanks between 28 and 32 degrees, warm enough to pull colour without hard tannin. Malolactic happens in tank. The wine then spends a short spell split between French barriques, about a fifth of it, and stainless steel for the rest. Regular racking settles it without heavy handling.

At 12.5 percent it sits well under most Australian Shiraz and drinks lighter than the colour suggests. Pour it with game, grilled meats or anything with a rich sauce.