The 2018 Delas Freres Côte Rôtie La Landonne is a Syrah from the renowned Cote Rotie appellation in Northern Rhone, France. This wine, bottled with a cork closure and containing 14.5% alcohol, is an excellent representation of the region's winemaking prowess.
James Suckling, writing for jamessuckling.com, awarded this wine a score of 95, describing it as "like reclining into a huge leather sofa!" He noted its rich and concentrated profile, with a major structure that will require some time to fully resolve. Suckling also highlighted the wine's increasing complexity as it aerates, with subtle herbal and spice notes and a very long finish featuring a great interplay of mineral and savory notes.
Jeb Dunnuck, who scored the wine between 95-97 points on jebdunnuck.com, called it a "classic wine from this terroir" and praised its powerful, smoky, and mineral style. He emphasized the wine's "rocking cassis and black raspberry fruit," full body, and the "plush, sexy, opulence of the vintage." Dunnuck concluded that the wine has a wealth of fruit while staying balanced and pure.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate gave the wine a score of 96, describing it as one of the stars of the Delas stable. The review mentioned hints of thyme and sage on the nose, alongside deep mocha shadings, raspberries, and blueberries. The wine is concentrated and tannic, with a rich, velvety mouthfeel and a tannic—but ripe—finish that lingers for over a minute. The Advocate suggested that the wine demands at least short-term cellaring but that aging will be amply rewarded.
Vinous, with another 96-point review, highlighted the wine's intensely perfumed black and blue fruit scents, complemented by candied flowers, exotic spices, and smoky minerals. The tasting note described expansive blueberry, blackberry, and cherry-cola flavors with accents of allspice, olive, and cracked pepper as the wine opens up. The finish was noted to be extremely long and minerally.
Wine & Spirits provided a slightly lower score of 91, noting the wine's dense and monolithic nature in its youth. However, they acknowledged glimmers of fresh plum, lilacs, pepper, and stone, suggesting that the wine's details are hidden behind formidable tannins and oak frame.
Finally, Wine Spectator rated the wine at 94, describing it as a "vibrant and racy version" with raspberry, blackberry, and black cherry fruit driving along with good energy and hints of graphite, violet, and smoldering bay. The review concluded that the wine is very solid through the finish and recommended it be enjoyed from 2022 through 2035.
In summary, the 2018 Delas Freres Côte Rôtie La Landonne is a highly acclaimed Syrah that offers a rich, complex, and powerful drinking experience, with the potential for further development with age.
