Founded in 1893, the house of Delaunay became a prestigious and prolific estate and was one of the sole distributors of DRC and exclusively of La Romanée until the 1940s. Sold to Jean Claude Boisset in the 1990s, the maison was reborn in 2017 when winemaker and fifth generation, Laurent Delaunay, purchased back the name, and winery and cellars next to the family home Chateau de Chaumont. Laurent and wife Catherine have accessed some excellent vineyard sites across the Cote d’Or, including a gem in Petit-Vougeots, and right up to Griottes-Chambertin, recently presenting their 2017s in November to great acclaim. 2018 will be the first vintage to be offered en primeur from the self-proclaimed “most atypical of the fine wine houses of Burgundy” and Honest Grapes is delighted to be amongst a select handful of merchants to partner with the maison to do so.
Straight on the rocks here. Medium density of purple. Dark fruit herewith a certain sweetness of character but does not stop the wine being quite elegant. Smooth and classy with more at the back than on the initial attack. Very nice Nuits for the medium term. 91-94/100, Jasper Morris MW
Initially quite a beefy, cedary nose and then tight bunched black cherries and berries unfurl. Palate is concentrated, dark, spicy and brooding with well-shaped, rich but salty tannins that drive the palate to a tapered finish with some tapenade and toast. Pretty serious stuff from this cooler, very stony site. Tom, Wine Guru
16/20, La Revue des Vins de France