Winemaker Notes
The wine displays a deep red color with a complex nose featuring notes of red fruit and smoked lardons, while the palate is vibrant and elegant, supported by silky tannins and a long, satisfying finish, making it a perfect representation of the northern Rhône terroir and an ideal match for roasted poultry and grilled meats, with an aging potential of ten to fifteen years.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
This suave and graceful St. Joseph has been precisely crafted, but it has all the wild berry, smoke and pepper character we look for in this appellation. I love the crunchy fruit and mineral freshness on the sleek and focused palate. Silky finish!
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Vinous
Glass-staining violet color. Spice-tinged aromas of fresh black and blue fruits, olive and pungent flowers show sharp detail and a touch of smokiness. Sappy and focused on the palate, offering gently sweet, mineral-laced cherry, boysenberry and exotic spice flavors that deepen slowly with aeration. The blue fruit note drives a long, spicy finish that's given grip by youthfully firm but even tannins. One-third whole clusters.
Barrel Sample: 91-93 -
Wine Spectator
Shows expressive black plum and red currant notes that have nice fleshiness, while black pepper and subtle toasty cedar accents weave through. Gains complexity from an intriguing smoke and incense layer. Refreshing and pure, with fine tannins that go the distance. Well done.
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Decanter
Hay and toasty notes on the nose. Generous fruit with savoury, saline herbaceousness. Lean in style with a mineral crunchiness on the finish.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2021 Saint Joseph shows the best of the vintage, with its juicy, complex, medium-bodied, and nicely textured profile. Ripe red and blue fruits, violets, baking spices, and hints of game all emerge on the nose, and it's balanced, has ripe tannins, and outstanding length. It's already hard to resist yet should evolve nicely for 7-8 years or so.
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.