Saint-Romain 'Le Village', Edouard Delaunay, 2023
Saint-Romain 'Le Village', Edouard Delaunay, 2023
- White Still
- Chardonnay
Please note, en primeur wines are not available duty paid until they arrive in the UK
The 2023 white wines from Delaunay are beautifully drinkable, offering an easy elegance. Unlike the larger, richer 2022 vintage, 2023 returns to a classic size with a well-balanced acidity, not too high or low. This vintage avoided the intense heat of 2020 and 2022, allowing for a more natural acidity that didn’t degrade during ripening. With record-high yields in both red and white, the wines display a lighter but more elegant profile compared to the previous year's concentration. In particular, the whites show an impressive balance of fresh acidity and racy minerality, with no chaptalisation needed.
"A wine that expresses the freshness of higher altitudes (320-360 meters) with its limestone and small rock minerality. Aged in 30% new oak for 9 months, this wine is round, concentrated, and shows firm pear notes with a hint of vanilla. A wine that immediately speaks of its terroir."
Our note
Overall, the 2023 vintage is a welcome surprise, offering a balance of power and elegance. With a focus on terroir expression, the wines show great ageing potential and freshness, with no over-ripeness or dilution. The whites are bright, fresh, and pure, while the reds show refinement and elegance, with a good structure for future ageing. While some of the wines are still developing, there is much to look forward to in the coming years.
What the critics say:
"Crisp apple, crisp sandalwood. It's like walking into my grandfather's Hermanus workshop on a warm, bright day: shafts of sunlight spinning with wood shavings, a Cape-grown apple half-crunched in my hand, the scent of wood and sea salt and warm skin, a cup of rooibos tea on the bench, fynbos fragrance blowing in on the restless Cape Doctor wind. I know that burgundy should not taste like a childhood memory of the South African Cape, but this one just does."
"Blended from two plots, La Perière and En Poillanges. 10 barrels, 3 of them new. Mid lemon yellow. There is a touch of honeysuckle on top of an austere limestone white fruit. The ripeness has been very nicely judged on the palate, with some interesting ripe citrus notes, yet good tension behind. Drink from 2026-2029. Tasted Nov 2024 ****"
-
-
Speak to one of our Wine Gurus
Learn moreWith years of experience, our team can help you with all your wine buying and selling needs