It has now been the first time in several years that I have reviewed the wines by Delmas — one of the greats from The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater. Delmas was born by the watchful eyes of Mary and Steve Robertson who founded this winery more than a decade ago. Steve has a background in real estate development and business management and was previously in Napa before planting vines in his very special SJR Vineyard, in the Walla Walla Rocks District. If you have never been to this vineyard, it is a must visit for oenophiles and lovers of Walla Walla Syrah. Steve hit a home run when he hired Billo Naravane, MW, to serve as his winemaker. Steve’s daughter, Brooke, has been running their viticulture program for years and now serves as head winemaker.
I first blind tasted this wine back in 2015 and reviewed their 2013 Delmas, giving the wine 95 points. The new wines were remarkably consistent and rich with great texture and freshness. I love the new 2023 Delmas Syrah (OB, 96) which is deep, concentrated and powerful, with serious finesse. Learn more about these very special wines at https://delmaswines.com Here are the gorgeous new Delmas Syrahs.
2023 Delmas ‘Estate’ Viognier- The 2023 ‘Estate’ Viognier comes from the famed SJR Vineyard in the Rocks District. The nose shows gorgeous honeysuckle tones alongside shades of gardenia, wet rock and bright green papaya. The palate is dense and unctuous with serious texture and weight, with glorious length. Incredible wine, the saw extensive lees contact. What a beauty! Drink 2025-2031- 95
2023 Delmas Grenache- This 2023 Grenache was all de-stemmed and saw no whole cluster fermentation. 100% varietal, this delivers beautiful red florals with cinnamon and cloves on the nose alongside orange blossom water. The palate is plush and deep with a great melange of red and dark fruits, with tobacco leaf and rocky undertones. Complex and delicious, watch this beauty evolve over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2025-2033- 95
2023 Delmas ‘BDR’ Red Wine- A blend of 82% Syrah with the remainder Grenache with a dash of Cinsault and Viognier. This saw 75% whole cluster fermentation. Red rose petals mark the nose alongside green peppercorns, white pepper dusted brisket and shades of oyster sauce. The palate is lush and fresh with a terrific texture and great sense of underlying verve. Salty, stony and very savory, this is a knockout blend that still has a lot of life ahead of it. Drink 2025-2033- 94
2023 Delas Syrah- The stunning 2023 Delmas Syrah has 7% Viognier co-fermented, as this edition 25% whole cluster fermentation, on the lower side for this wine. The wine was stored in 35% new French oak before bottling. Opening with exotic spices, this exudes class with Hoisin sauce and charcuterie notes alongside suggestions of boysenberry compote. The palate is fresh and impeccably balanced, with serious poise considering the heat of the vintage. Drink 2025-2034- 96