Winemaker Notes
The grapes are vinified at the Domaine using indigenous yeasts in wood tonneaux and stainless steel tanks, then aged for 15-18 months in barriques.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Super floral. Violets, fragrant and fine-ground white peppers, dark plums and black stones, spices and dark chocolate notes too. The palate has finesse, detail, power and impressive balance. There’s a plump red-fruited core that is really muscular. Expansive body building to an astutely balanced and elegant finish. Graphite to close. Brilliant. Barrel Sample.
Barrel Sample: 95-96 -
Wine Spectator
Alluring, with black tea and singed alder hints curling around a core of gently steeped black cherry and blackberry flavors. The very silky and refined structure carries the fruit through a beguiling finish, while olive, sanguine, iron and savory hints peek in. This expands steadily with time in the glass, boding well for cellaring. Best from 2022 through 2035.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
I tasted several parcels that will go into the 2016 Saint Joseph, rating them all in this range. All were distinctive in their own ways, from the perfumed, floral notes and elegance of Les Challeys to the almost jammy cherry flavors of Les Oliviers and the dark-fruited precision of Le Clos.
Range: 92-94 -
Jeb Dunnuck
Leading off the 2016s and tasted out of bottle, the 2016 Saint Joseph is rock-solid and shines in the vintage. Brought up all in older oak (Jean-Louis stated that he doesn't think Saint Josephs like oak) and offers plenty of darker, mineral, and smoked earth notes that slowly open up with more red fruits and spice. It's beautifully elegant and silky on the palate, with ample mid-palate heft, medium to full body, and sweet tannins. Put a case in the cellar and drink bottles over the coming decade 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.