St Joseph, Les Grisières, 2020
Serious and powerful but noble. Sinewy dark and red berry fruits with a fresh spiciness and smoky coal dust touches. A sapid and mineral quality adds life to the rich, layered fruit. There is a solid backbone to this, too; it promises to make old bones! A blend of 70-year-old Syrah vines in the commune of Chavanay in the north part of St Joseph near Condrieu. Made from 85% de-stalked Syrah (15% whole bunches were included in the 2017 for the first time) and aged in 20% new oak barriques usually for 16 to 18 months.
critic reviews
The classic 2020 Saint-Joseph Les Grisières presents wafts of graphite, crushed violets, ripe red fruits and cedary undertones. Elegant and refined, this concentrated and neatly structured red has all the ingredients for a long life in bottle. Very Saint-Joseph.
From an old-vine parcel south of Chavanay proper, the 2020 Saint Joseph les Grisieres (tasted from barrel) seems to have held onto more red-fruit character than the regular bottling. It's brighter and fresher yet also full-bodied, intense and wonderfully silky and elegant on the long finish. It should drink well close to release next year and for more than a decade thereafter.