Saint-Joseph

Jean-Louis Chave is rather well known for his Hermitage wines, which rank amongst the very best in the world. The family Domaine, however, is located across the river, unassuming behind a rusty ‘panneau’ in what we probably should not describe as ‘downtown’ Mauves. The family’s love of and respect for the great Ardèche wines of St Joseph is eloquently demonstrated by the meticulous renovation that is going on at Domaine Florentin. Offerus is his ‘négociant’ wine, therefore blend of Domaine and bought fruit, but being Chave, it’s a rather fine blend, capturing all the elegance of this cooler vintage with plenty of generous Syrah fruit and a pleasing lick of pepper at the back of the palate.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer

The red Silice is brought up half in demi-muid, half in barrique, and in 2014 is typically generous and approachable, with raspberry fruit to the fore, a floral elegance and no lack of the linearity of structure for which this appellation is so justly famed. 
Drink now to 2020.
Simon Field MW – Wine Buyer

The Préface may be so named as it is an introduction to the range, and a very compelling introduction it is too. Totally de-stemmed Syrah from vines located mainly in Sarras, its fruit matured in demi-muid for a year, this is a rich and spicy wine, its tannins finely etched and its finish long and silky.
Simon Field MW, Rhône Wine Buyer 

The likeable former régisseur of Les Vins de Vienne is now established as a highly successful vigneron in his own right, his experience and commercial acumen playing no minor part, no doubt, in the acquisition of some prime vineyards, one of which, naturally enough, is located in Seyssuel, which is where Les Vins de Vienne made their name. He views 2012 as both more intense and more interesting than 2011, the tannic structure of the wines in particular underlining the superiority of the later vintage.

Christine Vernay is close to being a perfectionist, so close in fact that she is sometimes reluctant to taste wines that have not been bottled for fear either of the fact that the work in progress will inevitably differ to a greater or lesser degree from the finished article or that the sample will be poor. To my mind, however, it’s like looking at a work of art, a Holbein drawing say, and then the finished painting. Both are sublime and the appreciation of the former informs that of the later. So it is with these exceptional wines; for Christine 2012 is an improvement on 2011. It flatters but it does not deceive.

This St Joseph has a suitably inky colour and a deep reflective nose of violets, graphite and autumnal bonfires. Aged for a year in second- and third-fill barrique, the palate combines forward pleasingly ripe, dark fruit notes with an attractive, almost earthy austerity on the finish.

Christine proves once again that she is more than proficient with red as well as white grapes. The vines are located on the granitic slopes behind Chavanay in the north of the appellation. This 100 percent Syrah exhibits plenty of red fruit charm, but with polished, ‘proper’ tannins from one-year-old barriques, and a fresh, hedgerow character, with hints of crushed rock, bay leaf and sousbois on the finish.
Simon Field MW - Rhône Buyer

Christine Vernay is pleased by the 2013s and has clearly relished the challenges of the vintage. The cold start allowed the vines to rest properly and it was therefore only reasonable that they had to work a little harder at the other end of the season, the longer growing cycle engendering complexity and finely defined acidity – the latter especially important with Viognier. No one makes better Viognier in the world, as these wines once again demonstrate.

Granite slopes behind the key villages of Mauves, Glun and Tournon are the source of this soft and supremely elegant St Joseph, which has been aged for 14 months in five- to six- year-old barrels. Cassis and sun-dried herbs inform the palate which is opulent yet impressively light on its feet.
Simon Field MW - Rhône Buyer

The news from Domaine du Tunnel is that the eponymous (disused railway) tunnel has almost been renovated by M Robert and will house a naturally cool—in both senses of the word—bottling cellar and tasting room, up in the hills above St Péray. This charming and very welcoming family continue to make great wines and were lucky enough to avoid hail in 2013; the resulting wines are excellent, with the whites boasting freshness and definition while the reds are pleasingly forward. Looking at the wines from barrel, the 2013 Saint Joseph has a terrific perfume of violets, wild herbs, spring flowers and pepper-laced purple fruits. It’s medium-bodied, supple and polished, with impressive purity. It has some tannin emerging on the finish, but I suspect these will fall away once in bottle. It should drink nicely for 4-6 years after release.
Jeb Dunnuck - Wine Advocate Issue#216 Dec 2014

Vineyards in Chavanay and Sarras are the source of this excellent St Joseph. The grapes are completely destemmed and aged in 30 percent new wood for 18 months. Ripe red and black fruits provide an indulgent cocktail, with a pleasing peppery backdrop buttressed by finely poised tannins.
Simon Field MW - Rhône Buyer

Irrepressibly cheerful as ever, François Villard shrugs at the 30 to 40 percent drop in yields in 2013, attributing the phenomenon to nature’s way of evening things out, a truism with which it is hard to argue. The slightly higher than normal levels of malic acid he sees as more relevant in terms of potential quality; once the malolactic fermentations were completed however, this problem redressed itself and wines of equilibrium and charm resulted. All things balance out in the end, it seems.

My only “issue” with this gem of a wine is that it is made in such small volume, which usually entails an indecorous scramble for an allocation. Well worth it, of course, as it is rare to encounter such a forthcoming Marsanne, its citric and orchard fruit personality mapped onto a denser more complex structure, honied and beautifully layered. Drink 2019-2023.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer

The top cuvée from Villa’s stable, matured for 24 months in oak with some of it new; we have come to expect great things of this wine with each and every passing vintage. The nose is full of silky dark fruit, violets and schist whilst on the palate, the tannins and acidity combine with pleasing concentration to produce a wine with a sense of place as well as an air of refinement. 
Nick Stewart, Wine Buying

The 2012 Saint Joseph Tilde (100% Syrah) is a modern style of Rhône wine, with a suave texture, medium-bodied richness and intense fruit flavours of blackberries, smoked cured meat and peppery nuances. Showing soft tannins and a good length on the finish, this solid effort will enjoy a decade of longevity and development.
Eva Polaki, Wine Team

The Sensonne, matured in 100% new wood, has had a very successful outing in 2011; its heart of dark morello fruit and soft spice is in no way overwhelmed by the ambitious winemaking – quite the reverse.
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer

Now respected as one of St Joseph’s top three growers, the naturally diffident Jérôme has acquired new confidence, and the wines return the compliment. The pedigree of their birth, that is to say the best, most precipitous, site in St Jean de Muzols, Tournon and Mauves, is now underlined by a suitably prestigious education, which is far from sentimental. For Jérôme, 2010 captures the best of 2006 and 2007, both of which have grown up very nicely indeed.

100% de-stemming and only 10% new wood was used for the 2011; this is indicative of the pleasingly pragmatic philosophy employed here (2010 differed on both counts). The 85% granitic slopes have yielded a bright and finely textured wine with supple tannins, mirror-bright acidity and plenty of depth.
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer

Now respected as one of St Joseph’s top three growers, the naturally diffident Jérôme has acquired new confidence, and the wines return the compliment. The pedigree of their birth, that is to say the best, most precipitous, site in St Jean de Muzols, Tournon and Mauves, is now underlined by a suitably prestigious education, which is far from sentimental. For Jérôme, 2010 captures the best of 2006 and 2007, both of which have grown up very nicely indeed.

One-hundred percent de-stemming and with just under 10 percent of new wood, the 2014 is particularly successful. The 85 percent granitic slopes have yielded a bright and finely textured wine, with supple tannins, mirror-bright acidity and plenty of depth. The first four words to be etched into the tasting book were; “tobacco, smoke, violets” and “outstanding”. 
Drink 2017-2022.
Simon Field MW – Wine Buyer

These famous precipitous vines behind Mauves are over 80 years old. Once again the new oak employed is scant and the focus is on purity and generous primary fruit; in this case there is a velvety attack but with intimations of firm granite providing a solid backdrop. This is an impressive effort in a rather unusual vintage.
Simon Field MW - Rhône Buyer

This vintage was not without its challenges for Jérôme: frost in May, hail in July and very low, uneconomical yields. A very late harvest has produced wines with low pHs, relatively low alcohol and very subtle phenolics. He likens the style to some of the wines made by his father Pierre in the 1980s. In warm years his wines can be very (although not over) ripe, so this redressing of nature’s balance is actually quite welcome, as evidenced by the quality of the finished wines.

100% destemmed and picked relatively late, the Paradis coaxes complexity from the 80-year-old vines and uncompromising granitic soils. The emphasis on teroir is underlined by the fact that only 10% of the oak employed is new; the 2012 is engagingly complex.  
Simon Field MW, Rhône Wine Buyer 

Phlegmatic and industrious , Jérôme has worked his way to the top of the appellation, quite literally when he is working his precipitous Paradis St Pierre vineyard, magisterial  and dressed in granite, high above the village of Mauves. In 2012 he was wary of rot during the humid spring, and then anxious about the ‘canicule’ in August. Ultimately he was happy and rates the vintage very highly, as do we.

Most Exciting Wines of the Vintage:  St Joseph, Les Serines, Domaine Yves Cuilleron
Yves' range boasts a plethora of superbly crafted, different cuvées but for me this one stood out, as it has done in past vintages. Of his St Joseph wines this one comes from the oldest vines, displaying immense concentration wrapped up in a robe of sublime elegance and purity. The tannins are very finegrained, the balance is perfect and there is a seamless harmony between all the component parts. From the more southern vineyards of Yves’ 18 hectares in St Jospeh, Les Serines is sourced from 40-year-old vines and aged for 18 months. It displays classic St Joseph shape and purity, with fine minerality and almost Burgundian red-fruit charm in the mid-palate.

Premium vineyards not far from Tournon on classic, granitic St Joseph soil are the source of this finely textured white, a blend of Roussanne and Marsanne. Apricots, peach and vanillin are the most obvious descriptors with hints of toast and cinnamon not far behind.

The communes of Tournon and Mauves provide the fruit for this excellent St Joseph, which exemplifies the purity and focus for which Stéphane feels that this vintage will be remembered. Fine tannins such as these are highly sought-after.

Those driving from Tain to Tournon, then south, will not fail to notice the Chapoutier placard in the midst of an impossibly steep and well-appointed vineyard. The rather obviously entitled Les Granits is suitably special after all the effort required to make it; it is ripe, polished, assertive and long.

With beautiful aromas of red berried fruit, spice and black pepper, this is a benchmark St Joseph wine in every respect with a real depth of flavour and finely managed tannins: compact yet lively, supple yet profound.

One of the newest members of this aristocratic family, Les Granits Blanc is a floral, aromatic and spicy Marsanne with a long lobster-friendly finish.
Simon Field MW, Rhône Wine Buyer 

Surely the most lauded vinous portfolio in the Rhône, the Parcellaires make up a definitive statement of terroir, the majority of which is located in the tiny appellation of Hermitage. Volumes are appropriately modest.

Cuminaille has been a long-standing Berry Bros. & Rudd listing, and was indeed one of M Gaillard’s first projects on leaving Vidal Fleury (then not owned by Guigal) in the late 1970s. The quality is as good as ever, with a relatively short cuvaison indicative of both the quality and power of the fruit itself, which sings of cassis, sloe and myrtle, with bay, cocoa and hints of dark chocolate in the wings.
Simon Field MW - Rhône Buyer

The Medieval village of Malleval, perched high above the serpentine Rhône, provides a suitably lofty homestead for Pierre Gaillard, one of the most influential and highlyrespected vignerons in the valley. With his two daughters, son and wife all part of the business, this is clearly a family affair, its influence now keenly felt in Seyssuel just to the north, not to mention Collioure and Faugères in the Languedoc, where some excellent wines have broadened an already impressive portfolio. The smaller production 2013 Saint Joseph Clos de Cuminaille should be a step up over the traditional cuvee. It has rock-solid notes of black raspberry, crushed rocks, wild herbs and olive, as well as good underlying minerality. Medium-bodied, balanced, with good purity and an elegant feel, it should have 7-8 years of longevity, possibly more.
Jeb Dunnuck - Wine Advocate Issue#216 Dec 2014

This generous Syrah, from the prestigious Chave house, has come just right for the drinking. Plum and blackberry are at the forefront here, with a classic violet lift and a hearty finish with hints of smoke and leather.
Simon Field MW, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Many of our best growers are branching out from their home territory in search of new vines and new challenges. Stéphane Ogier’s third vintage from his high-altitude vines in St Joseph really does have more than a passing hint of Côte-Rôtie about it – rounded and plenty of ripe fruit – delicious.
Tom Cave, Cellar Plan Manager

I was rather amused, when tasting this wine’s immediate predecessor blind at Decanter Magazine, to write that its nose was as aromatically pure as a fine Côte-Rôtie. When its author was revealed however, everything fell into place. From vines on the northerly edge of the appellation, this has been aged for over a year in barrique, 20% of which is new. Showing crushed blueberry on the nose with hints of tapenade, then raspberry and ripe plum, it is an elegant Burgundian style and truly delicious.
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer

Stéphane Ogier is now, arguably, the leading producer in Côte-Rôtie. Confident, modest and courteous, in short he is the perfect ambassador for the appellation. Stéphane now farms 12 parcels in Côte-Rôtie and has also launched a well-named Côtes du Rhône (Le Temps est Venu which we will sell elsewhere). He held his nerve through the rainy patches in September and the relatively late-picking has been rewarded with a superb range of wines. Stéphane compares their style, with more acidity and less alcohol than usual, to 2006, a vintage which has developed very nicely indeed.

Jérôme makes wines which are both sensuous and cerebral; wines that are not afraid to be flamboyant and to emphasize fruit, yet which do not lack for a distinctive peppery charm and a real sense of place. The 2008 is particularly successful in this respect and will make a lovely addition to the table over the next five years. Drink 2010-2015.

Planted in 1981 by Pierre himself, shortly after
leaving the house of Vidal Fleury, Cuminaille is now
one of the greatest wines in St Joseph, an eloquent
expression of northern Syrah and a worthy leitmotif
for all the progress made in this diverse and once
rather misunderstood appellation. Pierre destems
completely and uses a system of pigeage to achieve
gentle extraction from the mature vines. Aromatic
integrity, softly persuasive peppery tannins and a
linearity which marks out this vintage are all expertly
captured in this seminal example. Drink 2019-2024.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer

L’Olivaie is the branded name given to the fruits of magnificent 60-year-old vines located at St Jean de Muzols at the northern edge of the so-called cradle of St Joseph. Having enjoyed an upbringing in 25 percent new wood, with the balance shared between barrel and demi-muid, the 2016 has blacker fruits than Silice, but the integrated yet ripe tannin profile is very much le style de la maison. It may not completely work in translation but Jérôme describes this one as jovial. A bringer of joy, certainly. Drink 2021-2025.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer

Boasting a wealth of silky red and black fruits, this wine is poised and perfumed. Underlying spices and notes of sousbois perfectly complement the structure. The 2016 has a wonderfully refreshing and clean finish, courtesy of the mild season and inherent fruit quality. Drink 2019-2023.
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer