Winemaker Notes
Bewitching deep-black dress. On the nose, this wine reveals a beautiful aromatic
complexity with notes of red and black fruit. Robust and packed in the mouth, it
is well structured, with melted tannins and aromas combining vanilla and toasted
notes, with almost candied wild black fruit.
This elegant wine can be enjoyed within five years and will go wonderfully with grilled meats casserole dishes
Professional Ratings
-
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2019 Saint Joseph is terrific, with medium to full-bodied aromas and flavors of cassis and blackberry fruits as well as notes of sappy flowers, white pepper, and incense. With good acidity, notable balance, and ripe, polished tannins, it has a good 10-15 years of prime drinking. This comes from vineyards located near Tournon, in the southern part of the appellation, and 25-year-old vines planted in broken granite soils.
-
Tasting Panel
This 100% Syrah from a Northern Rhône sleeper appellation offers a smooth texture, juicy blackberry, and tangy acidity.
-
Wine Spectator
Very fresh, offering a bright mix of red currant and plum coulis notes that stretch out, with alder, red tea and sanguine threads through the fine-grained finish.
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.