2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004
93
2019 Doyenne
Rich and well-structured, with handsome huckleberry, grilled anise and smoked pepper flavors that build tension toward medium-grained tannins. Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2030.
Tim Fish | Jun 2022 | WINE Spectator
91
2019 Doyenne
A blend of four vineyards on Red Mountain, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Four Flags sports a ruby/plum color to go with terrific notes of red and black currants, spicy oak, dried flowers, and hints of tobacco. It has some classic Red Mountain minerality and chocolate on the palate, is medium to full-bodied, has beautiful tannins, and a great finish.
Sean P. Sullivan | Jul 2022 | WINE ENTHUSIAST
93
2019 Doyenne
Aromas of bramble, blackberry, rosemary and leather. Medium-to full-bodied with fine, taught tannins. Ripe fruit is at the core of the palate, accented by fresh floral notes and hints of vanilla and almond. Well balanced and light on its feet. Best in 2024.
James Suckling | APR 2022 | Jamessuckling.com
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91
2018 Doyenne
Syrah makes up 61% of this wine, with the rest Cabernet Sauvignon. Aromas of coffee, cherry, berry and spice are followed by creamy feeling coffee flavors. Fruit and barrel play equal parts.
Sean P. Sullivan | Oct 2021 | WINE ENTHUSIAST
93
2018 Doyenne
The 2018 Doyenne is already beautifully evolved at the three-year-mark. A Provençale-style blend of 61% Syrah and 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, it delivers plenty of viscosity and weight on the palate. Fresh and beautifully textured, with black cherry, black olive tapenade, boysenberry and loamy soil notes, this is an outstanding effort that will continue to impress over the next decade.
Owen Bargreen | Mar 2022 | VINOUS
94
2018 Doyenne
Plum, chocolate and bark with some cloves on the nose. It’s full-bodied with round, fresh tannins that provide form and tension. Lots of fruit and flavor. Hints of walnut and hazelnut to the fruit at the end. 61% syrah and 39% cabernet sauvignon. Drink in 2024.
James Suckling | June 2021 | Jamessuckling.COM
93
2018 Doyenne
A blend of 61% Syrah and 39% Cabernet Sauvignon (this is the estate’s take on a Provence Red), the 2018 Doyenne has beautiful blackberry and blueberry fruits as well as medium to full-bodied richness, a plush, layered, expansive texture, ripe tannins, and classy spicy, peppery aromas and flavors. It’s another beauty from this team to enjoy over the coming 7-8 years.
JEB DUNNUCK | May 2021 | JEBDUNNUCK.COM
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92
2017 Doyenne
This is 60% Syrah and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. The aromas bring notes of brown spices, berry and barrel toast. The coffee and cherry flavors are sleek in feel initially, broadening with time open.
Sean P. Sullivan | Dec 2020 | WINE ENTHUSIAST
93
2017 Doyenne
Bright, saturated ruby-red. Blackberry, licorice and lavender on the reticent nose. Concentrated, dark and a bit youthfully brooding but already showing a rich, pliant texture and terrific breadth. Cassis, licorice and mineral flavors are accented by dusty herbs, with a note of bitter chocolate emerging with air; nicely avoids the peppery pungency of the 2016 version. This very backward wine possesses the stuffing and energy to evolve gracefully but even today there are no rough edges. Blacker in its fruit character and a bit tighter-grained than the Métier, with as much acidity as smooth tannins to support aging. Serious juice!
Stephen Tanzer | Dec 2020 | VINOUS
92
2017 Doyenne
Dense at the core, but polished, with potent blackberry, bitter chocolate and smoky beef accents that build toward broad-shouldered tannins. Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2021 through 2029.
Tim FIsh | NOV 2020 | WINE SPECTATOR
90
2017 Doyenne
A sixty-forty blend of syrah and cabernet sauvignon, this balances deep plum flavor with cool floral and cedar scents. It’s an elegant red with finely wrought tannins that will pair nicely with pork loin.
Patrick J. Comiskey | Oct 2020 | WINE & SPIRITS
91+
2017 Doyenne
Bold and juicy, the 2017 Doyenne is a blend of 60% Syrah and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aromas of blackberry, currants and cassis leap out of the glass with precision, a soft rockiness and chocolate essence. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is poised and delightful, delivering pleasure with a rich and ripe berry-laced expression. The wine remains chocolaty and plummy on the winding finish. The wine aged for 20 months in French oak, over 50% first fill. More than 17,000 bottles produced.
Anthony Mueller | OCT 2020 | Wine Advocate
91
2017 Doyenne
A 60/40 split of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2017 Doyenne is modeled after the reds from Provence (think Trevallon) and offers outstanding notes of ripe black fruits, Asian spices, leafy herbs, and a hint of herbes de Provence. Playing in the medium-bodied end of the spectrum, it’s balanced, has ripe, polished tannins, and is already hard to resist. Enjoy bottles any time over the coming decade.
Jeb Dunnuck | Apr 2020 | jebdunnuck.COM
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93+
2016 Doyenne
Dark red-ruby. A slightly raw peppery element accents aromas of blueberry, crushed cassis, pomegranate, licorice and herbs. Savory, intense and quite dry, with its fruit sweetness currently in the deep background. This suave, fine-grained, penetrating blend combines the structure of Cabernet Franc with the more hedonistic aromas of Syrah; it’s already harmonious but clearly needs time in bottle to expand. Finishes firmly tannic but not at all dry, with noteworthy energy.
STEPHEN TANZER | Dec 2019 | VINOUS.COM
93
2016 Doyenne
The 2016 Doyenne is the Provence-styled red of the estate and checks in as a 60/40 split of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, all from Red Mountain. This red, sexy beauty offers full-bodied notes of crème de cassis, crushed violets, lavender, and graphite. It has terrific purity and balance, ample character, and is certainly an outstanding wine.
Jeb Dunnuck | Apr 2019 | jebdunnuck.COM
91
2016 Doyenne
This wine is 60% Syrah and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aromas of raspberry compote, black licorice, boysenberry, cherry, spice and herb lead to ripe, jammy, lip-smacking fruit flavors. A fulsome wine, it needs some time to stretch its legs.
SEAN P. SULLIVAN | oct 2019 | wine enthusiast
92
2016 Doyenne
A blend of 60% Syrah and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2016 Doyenne opens with aromas of classic black fruits—blackberry, crème de cassis and dusty black plum. While it is the Cabernet that provides the juicy structure for this medium to full-bodied blend, the Syrah adds a spicy and mineral essence on the palate. Soft, dusty purple flowers flutter in as the wine sits in the mouth, revealing a balanced structure with good acidity and supporting tannins. The Doyenne ends with a focused and lingering finish with soft oak spice. Only 950 cases made.
Anthony Mueller | dec 2019 | 246, THE WINE ADVOCATE
92
2016 Doyenne
Burly and well-built, with raspberry and black cherry flavors accented by stony mineral, spice and bay leaf notes that build tension toward broad-shouldered tannins. Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2020 through 2027. 1,000 cases made.
Tim Fish | Jun 2019 | wine spectator
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94
2015 Doyenne
Bright, dark red with ruby tones. Aromas of blackberry and blueberry are lifted by strong lavender florality. A juicy, spicy midweight with terrific peppery precision and lift to its dark berry and floral flavors. This wonderfully stylish wine boasts uncanny inner-mouth perfume and energy. Finishes quite firm and long but not austere, with dusty, fine-grained tannins and noteworthy suavity. A new high-water mark for this bottling?
STEPHEN TANZER | JUL 2018 | VINOUS.COM
91
2015 Doyenne
Made from 60% Syrah and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2015 Doyenne (100% Red Mountain) offers fabulous purity and depth of fruit as well as a rich, balanced, layered and medium to full-bodied style on the palate. With loads of blackberry, bay leaf, underbrush, and hints of tobacco, it has good acidity and freshness, plenty of fruit, and I suspect will keep for a decade.
Jeb Dunnuck | apr 2018 | jebdunnuck.com
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93
2014 Doyenne
(nearly three-quarters of this fruit came from Red Mountain): Bright, dark medium ruby. Captivating lavender and underbrush complexity to the aroma of blackberry. A ripe, sweet bomb of raspberry and blackberry fruit, lifted by a peppery quality and complicated by a note of olive tapenade. Plush, broad, utterly seamless blend with terrific concentration and persistence.
STEPHEN TANZER | JUL 2017 | VINOUS.COM
92
2014 Doyenne
Previously labeled as the Doyenne Aix, the name has been changed to simply Doyenne in 2014. The 2014 Doyenne is the classic blend of equal parts Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon that’s brought up in barrel. It has a great nose of toasted spice, black raspberries, currants, lavender and cedar. This gives way to a rounded, sexy, voluptuous and hedonistic red that has moderate acidity, medium to full-bodied richness and a great texture. Drink this sexy red anytime over the coming 7-8 years.
JEB DUNNUCK | JUN 2017 | 231, THE WINE ADVOCATE
92
2014 Doyenne
Equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, the aromas start out quiet, with notes of cherry, wood spice and dark fruit. The flavors are reserved and polished, showing an exquisite sense of balance and a lingering finish.
SEAN P. SULLIVAN | JUn 2017 | wine enthusiast
90
2014 Doyenne
Well-structured but framed by big tannins, offering layered and persistent notes of blueberry, nutmeg and crushed rock. Best after 2018. 1,900 cases made.
Tim Fish | JUL 2017 | Wine spectator
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93
2013 Doyenne (AIX)
Tasting like a rich, ripe red from Provence, the 2013 Doyenne Aix (60/40 Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon) offers up a fabulous bouquet of ripe black currants, melted licorice, roasted herbs and pepper in a full-bodied, concentrated, even unctuous, style on the palate. Despite all of the fruit and texture, this beauty has solid underlying structure and will drink well for another 10-15 years.
JEB DUNNUCK | JUN 2016 | 225, THE WINE ADVOCATE
93
2013 Doyenne (AIX)
(Syrah from Ciel du Cheval and Boushey, plus 41% Cabernet Sauvignon from Chris Upchurch’s own vineyard): Bright ruby-red. High-toned aromas of blackberry, clove oil, white pepper, licorice and game. Wonderfully silky and sweet but with terrific acidity giving grip and shape to the middle palate. Very concentrated, juicy wine with a wild suggestion of garrigueand a faintly animal character. Reminded me of something in the Mas de Daumas-Gassac/La Grange des Pères neighborhood. This very successful blend boasts superb fruit and finishes wonderfully sweet and ripely tannic. I’d love to slip this wine into a blind tasting with some cult reds from the Languedoc.
Stephen Tanzer | Jul 2016 | Vinous.com
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93
2012 Doyenne (AIX)
Once you move east out of the Southern Rhone Valley and into Provence, you hit the town of Aix-en-Provence, and you have a few producers who utilize Cabernet Sauvignon, Domaine Trevallon being the most notable. Delille’s Doyenne Aix is made in this image and is always a blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2012 Doyenne Aix (60/40 Syrah and Cabernet) is a one of the finest vintages of the cuvee to date and it offers full-bodied, rich, decadent notes of blackcurrants, black raspberries, smoke tobacco, chocolate and roasted-garrigue characteristics. Concentrated, ripe and with solid mid-palate depth, it’s also fresh, lively and beautifully balanced. It will be better with short-term cellaring, yet have 15 years of overall longevity.
JEB DUNNUCK | JUN 2015 | 219, THE WINE ADVOCATE
93
2012 Doyenne (AIX)
(45% new oak): Dark medium ruby. Cassis, black cherry, licorice, graphite and minerals on the very dark nose. Suave and juicy on the palate, conveying strong inner-mouth perfume to its black raspberry, mineral and sexy oak flavors. Finishes horizontal and very long, with substantial fine-grained tannins and terrific energy. A very successful blend combining the juicy generosity of Syrah with the structure of Cabernet. Sexy already but still very young
STEPHEN TANZER | Jul 2015 | VINOUS.COM
91
2012 Doyenne (AIX)
Focused, generous and harmonious, weaving blueberry, currant, cocoa and cream flavors into a taut package that pushes against gritty tannins as the finish lingers. Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2017 through 2020. 1,800 cases made.
Harvey Steiman | Sep 2015 | Wine Spectator
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93+
2011 Doyenne (AIX)
(a 71/29 blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon): Bright ruby-red. Aromas of black raspberry, licorice and pepper. Concentrated, dense and dry, with gripping dark berry flavors complicated by sexy garrigue and gunflint and lifted by a floral topnote. At once ripe and classically dry, conveying the strong acidity of the vintage. Very juicy and long on the aftertaste. This will require at least a few years in bottle to become more pliant but it boasts outstanding potential.
STEPHEN TANZER | Dec 2014 | VINOUS.COM
92
2011 Doyenne (AIX)
A Provencal styled blend of 71% Syrah and 29% Cabernet Sauvignon that comes all from Red Mountain, the 2011 Doyenne Aix has beautiful richness and texture in the vintage, with ample black raspberry, blackberry, licorice, toast and hints of meatiness all flowing to a clean, beautifully balanced and overall elegant wine that will have 10 – 12 years of overall longevity. Seemingly outstanding in every vintage, it represents a superb value and is well worth checking out.
JEB DUNNUCK | JUN 2014 | 213, THE WINE ADVOCATE
90
2011 Doyenne (AIX)
Bright and jazzy, with thick flavors of cherry and currant fruit on a plush frame, lingering on the expressive finish. This has depth and presence. Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best from 2015 through 2018. 1,700 cases made.
harvey steiman | oct 2014 | wine spectator
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91
2010 Doyenne (AIX)
(51% syrah, 43% cabernet sauvignon and 6% mourvedre): Bright red. Aromas of blackberry and licorice are complicated by spicy oak and white pepper. Juicy, spicy and penetrating, with lovely intensity to the youthfully tight red berry flavors. Finishes sweet and long, with firm but harmonious tannins. I’d give this at least a year in the cellar before pulling the cork.
Stephen Tanzer | NOV 2013 | vinous.com
90
2010 Doyenne (AIX)
Firm tannins surround a juicy core of blackberry, tobacco, tomato leaf and wet stone flavors. A complex and formidable red that needs cellaring to soften the tough texture. Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvèdre. Best from 2015 through 2020. 2,000 cases made.
HARVEY STEIMAN | jun 2013 | WINE SPECTATOR
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93
2009 Doyenne (AIX)
A smoking blend of 59% Syrah, 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4% Mourvedre, the 2009 DeLille Cellars Doyenne Aix is a deep, inky red that shows firm black fruits, smoke, graphite, background herbs, and licorice styled aromas to go with a full-bodied, textured palate. Concentrated, rich, and perfectly balanced, with chewy tannin and chalky minerality showing on the finish, this extremely well done 2009 will shine for a decade or longer. There’s touches of oak showing currently, so those that are oak adverse should give this a year or two in the cellar.
Jeb Dunnuck | jun 2012 | jebdunnuck.COM
91
2009 Doyenne (AIX)
(58% syrah, 38% cabernet sauvignon and 4% mourvedre): Good full ruby. Captivating perfume of black cherry, pomegranate, black pepper and coriander. Juicy and crunchy on the palate, with lively acidity framing the flavors of blackberry, cassis and black pepper. Sweet, fine-grained blend with lingering notes of spices and smoked meat.
Stephen Tanzer | Nov 2012 | Vinous.com
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92
2008 Doyenne (AIX)
The 2008 Aix is a blend of 61% Syrah, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the balance Mourvedre and Cinsault sourced almost entirely from the Red Mountain AVA. Expressive aromas of smoke, game, bacon, pepper, garrigue, blueberry, and blackberry lead to a round, succulent, impeccably balanced, lengthy wine. In the scheme of things it is a terrific value.
JAY S MILLER | AUG 2011 | 196, The Wine Advocate
91
2008 Doyenne (AIX)
Upfront and delicious, the 2008 DeLille Cellars Doyenne Aix, a southern France like blend of 61% Syrah, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Mourvèdre, and 1% Cinsault, sports a boisterous and complex bouquet of bright black and purple fruits, thyme, flowers, integrated oak, and dusty earth. This shows more wood with air, but the fruit can handle it and this should integrate with another year or two of bottle age. Medium+ bodied on the palate, with a round, fleshy texture and ample fruit that hides sound underlying structure, this beauty should evolve positively for 2-3 years, and have up to a decade of prime drinking.
JEB DUNNUCK | JUN 2011 | JEBDUNNUCK.COM
90
2008 Doyenne (AIX)
(61% syrah, 34% cabernet sauvignon, 4% mourvedre and 1% cinsaut): Red-ruby. Expressive, perfumed nose offers raspberry, licorice pastille, peppery spices, bitter chocolate and a whiff of meat. Juicy, sweet and aromatic; not big but silky and nicely balanced, with suave flavors of dark berries, menthol and wild herbs. Finishes with a fine dusting of tannins and a restrained sweetness. A classy blend.
STEPHEN TANZER | NOV 2011 | VINOUS.COM
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92+
2007 Doyenne (AIX)
(a 61/35 blend of syrah and cabernet sauvignon, with 4% mourvedre from Red Mountain) Bright medium ruby. Lively aromas of dark berries, graphite and violet. Sweet, creamy and generous, but with lovely lift to the blackberry, spice and pepper flavors. At once expressive and serious wine, with the concentration and balance to improve in bottle.
STEPHEN TANZER | NOV 2010 | VINOUS.COM
92
2007 Doyenne (AIX)
The 2007 Aix is made up of 61% Syrah, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4% Mourvedre sourced entirely from the Red Mountain AVA. It gives up a splendid, slightly exotic nose of smoke, spice box, lavender, grilled meat, black currant, and plum. Forward, plush, and spicy, this full-flavored, pleasure-bent offering can be enjoyed now and over the next 6-8 years.
JAY S MILLER | AUG 2010 | 190, THE WINE ADVOCATE
90
2007 Doyenne (AIX)
The 2007 DeLille Cellars Doyenne Aix is a blend of 61% Syrah, 31% Cabernet and 4% Mourvèdre that shows lots of smoky dark fruits, spice, bramble, chocolate and tobacco aromatics. The cabernet really starts to come out with air and this medium to full bodied wine has a solid, structured mid-palate, ripe fruit, fresh acids and rich, textured finish. It should drink well over the next decade.
JEB DUNNUCK | MAY 2010 | JEBDUNNUCK.COM
90
2007 Doyenne (AIX)
Dark and juicy, offering a lively mouthful of plum, spice and mineral flavors that remain jazzy through the long, vivid finish. Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvèdre. Drink now through 2013. 2,100 cases made.
HARVEY STEIMAN | oct 2010 | WINE SPECTATOR
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91
2006 Doyenne (AIX)
The 2006 Aix is a blend of 64.5% Syrah and 35.5% Cabernet Sauvignon from several Red Mountain Vineyards. Purple-colored, the bouquet displays aromas of toast, underbrush, smoked meat, violets, blueberry, and black currant. Elegant and smooth-textured, it is nicely balanced with savory fruit, lively acidity, and enough structure to evolve for 1-2 years. This Bandol-like wine will deliver pleasurable drinking from 2011 to 2018.
Jay S Miller | Oct 2009 | 185, The Wine Advocate
91
2006 Doyenne (AIX)
(approximately two-thirds syrah and one-third cabernet sauvignon) Deep red-ruby. Fresh raspberry and strawberry aromas are lifted by a floral topnote. Supple and creamy-sweet, with a concentration that suggests small berries. Finishes with sweet tannins and excellent length. I find this fruitier and more pliant than the 2005 release.
STEPHEN TANZER | NOV 2009 | VINOUS.COM
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93
2005 Doyenne (AIX)
Ripe, focused and beguiling for the espresso and caramel notes that swirl through the dark plum and currant fruit, remaining focused and vibrant through the long finish. Time in the cellar should polish the tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Best from 2009 through 2015. 1,900 cases made
HARVEY STEIMAN | jun 2008 | WINE SPECTATOR
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2004 Doyenne (AIX)
The red wines start with the 2004 Aix, composed of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Syrah. Dark ruby-colored, it is intensely perfumed with aromas of pain grille, blackberry, blueberry, meat and game making an appearance. Velvety-textured, it has excellent depth and concentration, spicy dark fruit flavors, and outstanding length. With enough structure to evolve for 3-4 years, this wine will provide pleasure through 2020.
Jay S Miller | Aug 2007 | 172, The Wine Advocate