Jay Kline

9.3

Brought to Tasting Group, popped and poured, and then served double-blind to the group. In the glass, the wine pours a transparent ruby color, with no signs of sediment. Medium+ viscosity with significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is redolent of dark fruits, black pepper, olives, olives, and olives with some purple flowers and gravelly minerals added to the mix. On the palate, confirming the fruit and non-fruit characteristics. The wine is bone dry with medium tannins and medium+ acid. Due to the non-fruit characteristics, it is very difficult to place this in the New World, although there are some new producers, making wine similar to this. That being said, it’s hard to get outside of the Northern Rhône, vacillating between Côte Rôtie, Cornas, and Saint Joseph (no one in the group felt the oak was lavish enough for Hermitage). There were good arguments for each…and then the reveal. What a joy to drink this. Too bad even the “Les Iles Feray” has become near unobtainium. If someone wants to experience what Northern Rhône Syrah is supposed to taste like, this would be a contender for Exhibit A. The 2019 “Les Iles Feray” will be enjoyable for many years but I think this should be enjoyed in its youth. Drink now or over the next 5-10 years. — 2 years ago

Shay A

9.1

“This Côtes-du-Rhône is technically made from purchased fruit. Chave generally has financed his sources and takes their grapes by a métayage (sharecropping) arrangement. He has more or less complete control over the farming, which is organic. The grapes are shipped to Chave’s facility inside his Saint-Joseph Le Clos site in Mauves. Fermentation is in stainless steel tanks and élevage is in an assortment of new and old barrels, demi-muids and large foudres.”

I’ve enjoyed a few of Chave’s “Selection” series, especially the Blanche (100% marsanne from Hermitage…fantastic). While I’ve been fortunate to try Chave’s Hermitage a few times, I did my best to set expectations fairly for this (at $25/bottle). Short story…very pleased with it. I followed this over two days and it stayed consistent. Deep red in the glass with aromatics of garrique, herbs de Provence, and spiced raspberries and blackberries. The palate still sports such a “clean” profile that I associate with Chave’s Hermitage, alongside pepper and fragrant/floral notes.

This is a CdR that has some staying power. Solid value. — 3 years ago

Joe Weinberger

8.9

Better at this point than the 2016 Jaboulet Saint Joseph I drank this with. Also better on day 2. Brambly fruit and violets but missing any kind of olive/meaty notes. — 4 years ago

Ryan Guy

9.3

Day 2... smoky bacon bits,, tobacco, cracked pepper, plum and blackberry. Big and bold. Classic. Dry, tannic (especially for Syrah), with rich blue and blackberry fruit. Striking fruit leads to savory finish. Paired very well with elk chili. Showed well after a 2 hour decant yesterday. Drink with decant or hold. — 5 years ago

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.3

Incredibly soulful St. Joseph. If you told me this was hermitage and also 100 more a btl, I’d believe you! — 6 years ago

Matt Perlman

9.4

The Faury Saint Joseph rouge is clearly one of the best Syrah values out there but don’t sleep on the blanc, which also happens to be among the most enjoyable northern Rhône whites I’ve ever had. Forget Condrieu and Hermitage blanc and buy this instead. Actually, forget I said anything — 6 years ago

J B

9.0

Le mere Poulard - Mont Saint Michel. Scallop omelette and poulet supreme. Very good paring. Enjoyed very much. — 3 years ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

Really nice and a great value. Got that classic earthy, barky thing I like in Crozes — a little sluttier with the type of earthiness than, say, Saint-Joseph — along with ultra pure essence of blackberry, a very lifted almost-but-not-quite eucalyptus note. Round-textured and fairly concentrated for a basic Crozes, with lots of savory flavors and a long finish. There’s a lifted quality to the palate that is very attractive. Drinks well above its weight. — 3 years ago

Romain Fitoussi

9.3

SyrahSession#2Wine#6
Deep garnet dress. Ample, leather animal, spicy, black fruits. Overqualified Crozes wish can play the comparison with a Cornas or some big Saint-Joseph wines. Gourmet wine. 2014 is balanced at will and will withstand several more years of aging.

Robe Grenat profond. Amples, animal cuir, épicé, fruits noirs. Crozes sur-qualifié pouvant jouer la comparaison avec un Cornas voir une Cote-Rotie. Vin gastronomique. 2014 est équilibré à souhait et supportera encore plusieurs années de garde. — 3 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.5

Superb air minerality. Honeycomb, honeysuckle, huge airiness. Dense, ethereal and layered nose. Wow. This smells like Hermitage. So refined and elite. Palate is incredibly rich and pure. So much energy. Also very very young. Acid is intense as is the finishing minerality. Superb elegance. So well knit and textured. Juicy and so so so mineral. Nimble. Shows it’s old vine breeding. So intense and sappy. Wonderful wine. Treat this like white hermitage. Wait 5-7 years.

9.3 to 9.5 on Day 2.

Sleek aromas of mineral, layered minerals. Huge Marsanne minerality. Yellow fruits, what balance, concentration and juiciness. Sick texture. How pure. Awesome. Amazing depth. This is brilliant. Nimble, long, energetic and mineral. Stunning.
— 5 years ago

Karen Root

9.6

Like crozes hermitage — 5 years ago

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.2

KILLER Saint Joseph — 6 years ago

Charlie Evans

9.0

An incredibly well structured wine. An absolute beast. Bigger than some Hermitage I’ve had, even on day 2. Lots of herbaceous notes on this wine. Even with it being so big and structured, there is still very nice acidity. Very well made wine, especially for the price! — 7 years ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.1

Textbook Northern Rhone Syrah in a very affordable, drink now package. Bing cherry, currants, light and pleasantly integrated peppercorn and smoke notes, a touch of beef bouillon and soil. Medium bodied, pure textures of finely grained tannin and perfectly integrated acidity. Med+ on the finish. If you have been drinking new world syrah and are hesitant to buy in on a Cote-Rotie, Hermitage or even a Saint-Joseph, this is a nice entry point. — 3 years ago

Will Stanley

9.5

What a wine! This Saint-Joseph from Domaine Courbis, from the limestone amphitheatre they call ‘Les Royes’ within the appellation (look out for the Blanc, too), is a great success in 2016 and an incredibly moreish wine overall.

The nose takes little time to unfurl, showing generous aromas of fresh, cool blackberry, espresso, violet and a touch of iron. The fruit has a wonderfully pure feel - as though it’s been squeezed straight into the glass. The palate is equally forthcoming and way above what I expected. Ripe fruit combines with bold acidity and supple tannins to provide a very, very seductive mouthfeel, and a lengthy finish.

That vast appellation of Saint-Joseph can be very variable - but if they were all this good, it would stand shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Cornas, Cote-Rotie and Hermitage. — 3 years ago

Devin Brown

8.9

I gave the 2019 vintage a 9.0. The nose is just as pretty but doesn’t quite have depth of flavour, but still a beautiful drop. — 4 years ago

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.3

Old school 🔥 — 5 years ago

Sebastian Corriere

9.2

Offer us saint/joseph
Young vines - hermitage famous
Som movie
W Kellie! — 6 years ago

Tyler Martinelli

8.9

Lighter with some oak. — 6 years ago

Justin Baker

9.2

Fantastic Syrah. We picked after comparing it to a Burgundy we thought we loved until we tasted both. Highly recommend. — 7 years ago