Winemaker Notes
The color is a deep, dark ruby red with a garnet reflection. The nose is clearly marked by delicate aromas of cassis and spices. On the palate, this cuvée shows a smooth and voluptuous texture that masks a good tannic structure, fine and silky. this wine has great potential for aging.
This wine pairs well with fine meats, spicy stews, grilled meats, game and any kind of cheese.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
Powerfully scented aromas of fresh black/blue fruits, potpourri, licorice and smoked meat show excellent clarity and vibrant mineral lift. Concentrated boysenberry, cassis and violet pastille flavors are joined by a salty olive note that sneaks in as the wine opens up. Finishes smooth, focused and very long, with broad, fleshy tannins, a hint of smokiness and lingering florality.
Barrel Sample: 92-94 -
Jeb Dunnuck
Classic, slightly reductive Granite notes of cassis, damp earth, violets, and both red and white pepper emerge from the 2019 Saint Joseph François De Tournon, a pure, elegant medium-bodied Saint Joseph that brings good ripeness yet also a terrific sense of purity and freshness.
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James Suckling
The nose reminds me totally of my grandmother’s blackcurrant jelly. On the palate it is dry and linear, to the point of being slightly austere, but there’s so much minerality and a smoked-bacon note is neatly woven into this complex picture. Long, straight and precise finish. From granite soils in the southern part of this appellation.
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Wine Enthusiast
Ripe and yet anchored by Saint-Joseph's characteristic granitic edge, this plush, blackberried Syrah opens with a kiss of violet candy and preserved black fruit. Matured up to 14 months predominantly in one- to three-year-old barrels, it's a satiny sip lifted by redcurrant acidity. Ripe, integrated tannins make it welcoming immediately but it should drink well through 2030.
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Wine Spectator
Juicy and compact, with a solid core of dark plum and blackberry preserve flavors laced with licorice root and mocha hints. Long, dark finish. Ample toast here, so give it a touch of cellar time to loosen up. Best from 2022.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
Spanning the longest stretch of river in the northern Rhône—from Condrieu in the north, to Cornas in the south—the heart of St.-Joseph lies directly across the Rhône River from Hermitage. While its soils are basically the same as Hermitage: granite, supplemented by sand and gravel, its east facing slope receives less sunlight than Hermitage, which causes less overall berry ripening on its Syrah vines. However, some of the best of them can rival any fine expression of Hermitage, Cote-Rotie or Cornas with concentrated black fruits, dark spices, crushed rock and violets. A general advantage of the region is that its Syrahs typically don’t need as much time in the bottle compared to a Cote-Rotie or Hermitage and are much easier on the bank account!
A textbook St.-Joseph red is firm with a core of minerality that is enhanced by savory and peppery qualities. Aromas and flavors of smoke, olives, herbs, and violets are common; its wines are dense in red and black fruit.
St.-Joseph is also a source of fine northern Rhône white wine. Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne grow well here and can be blended or made into single varietal wines. St.-Joseph whites are full and silky with citrus, pear and pineapple flavors and a rich bouquet reminiscent of honeysuckle, toasted nuts, spice and caramel.