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Saint Joseph Les Granits, Maison M. Chapoutier 2018

Tasting Notes

A more reductive, meaty, backward effort than normal, the 2018 Saint Joseph Les Granits is all Syrah that comes from unquestionably one of the top terroirs in Saint-Joseph. It was vinified in concrete tanks and aged in a mix of barrels and demi-muids, 20% being new. It blossoms with air and reveals an almost Hermitage-like class and minerality, with killer crème de cassis and black raspberry fruits supported by loads of smoked game, saddle leather, crushed stone, barbecue smoke, garrigue, and violet-like aromas and flavors. Just incredible on the palate as well, with medium to full-bodied richness, awesome tannins, and a liquid rock-like minerality, this tour de force from Saint-Joseph ranks with the finest vintage of this cuvée ever made and matches the 2015, although it shows a very different style. It should be snatched up by readers. It will need 3-5 years of bottle age and will drink brilliantly over the following 20 years or more.

97
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com, October 2020

Deep ruby-purple in colour. Fleshy, brambly fruit with a hint of blueberry and dried flowers on the nose. This is aromatic, intense and powerful. The palate follows, sweet blue fruit bursts forth with a heady hit of violet and a grind of black peppercorns. This is mineral and dense yet succulent and ripe. The tannins are bold and full, bringing a firm backbone and savoury edge to the fruit. This has real drive and depth, with a long, ripe finish. This deserves a few years in bottle to allow the tannins to integrate and the fruit to gain a more savoury edge. Superb, with real ageing potential.

95
Farr Vintners, Farr Tasting, June 2021

The 2018 Saint-Joseph Les Granits is just about always one of the top wines from this appellation. It comes from a single, south-facing hillside vineyard located just south of Tournon, in the southern part of the appellation. It's deeply colored and has a powerful, full-bodied style that shows the vintage beautifully. Blackcurrants, blackberries, spice-box, saddle leather, and garrigue notes all give way to a powerful, opulent Saint Joseph that has ripe tannins, loads of fruit, and a great finish.

94/96+
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com, December 2019
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.