The 2016 Saint Joseph François De Tournon comes from more schist and gneiss soils and spent 10-14 months in mostly used barrels, with a small part in tank to preserve more freshness. It's another ruby/purple-colored effort from this estate and gives up lots of blackberry and blueberry fruits intermixed with earthy minerality, ground pepper, and hints of damp earth. Rich, layered, and textured, it will be better in a year or two and keep for 8-10, if not longer.\n Producer Information\n Delas Frères is an estate based in the northern Rhône Valley, particularly known for its Syrah-based wines from the Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie and Crozes-Hermitages appellations. The Delas family have been involved in the production of wine in the Rhône Valley since 1835, taking the current name in 1924. The wines have been received well throughout the 20th century, and in 1977, joined forces with Champagne Deutz. In 1993, both were acquired by the Rouzaud family, owners of Louis Roederer. Today, the company has vineyards around the northern Rhône, the most notable being Domaine des Tourettes in Hermitage. This estate covers a steep, granitic part of the Hermitage hill, including the famous Les Bressades vineyard. This plot is used to make the Les Bressades cuvée: grapes are destemmed and cold macerated before fermentation, and aged on their fine lees in French barriques for around 18 months. Delas Frères also makes a red and a white Hermitage wine labeled as Domaine des Tourettes. Delas Frères also has a 18-hectare (45-acre) vineyard in Crozes-Hermitage called Les Grand Chemins, and a tiny plot in Saint-Joseph which produces grapes for the Sainte-Épine red and white cuvées, which are only made in the best years. On top of this, it makes a range of single-vineyard wines from contract growers around the Rhône, from the La Landonne Côte-Rôtie and the Clos Boucher Condrieu to the Haute Pierre Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
