I adore 2021. Insane wine. Nose is feral, herbal and gamey and so expressive for a young Berceau. Red fruits galore with unreal clarity and depth. Granite aromas but expressed in a floral way as they are so expressive. Quite layered and so elite. A knockout nose and that’s just as the bottle is opened. Maybe 3-5% black fruits but barely black. Wow what a palate. Rich yet focused and with maybe 75% red and 25% black fruits but beguiling freshness and velvety, high quality tannins. Wow the nose after a fresh pour is 9.8. Palate has substantial grip, tannins and structure and is imposing but not like a warmer vintage expression of Le Berceau. It’s got velvety, molten tannins that are perfectly ripe and the fruit is mid season red berries and such incredibly realized red fruits with just insane clarity. Infused with herbs and crushed granite and the finish goes on forever. But needs air and my score will go higher.
Nose is now smokey and meaty. Wild flowers and mint. So complex and intense. Palate is so fresh and energetic with red cherry and classic flavors and loads of mineral intensity. Really elegant and stunning texture. So much energy. Wow. 9.5 to 9.6. — 4 months ago
2020 drinking very well after a short decant - beautiful full body with a very persistent finish. Dark fruits, cassis, smoke and mineral / iron accents - great quality relative to the price — 6 months ago
Another great btl from the master of SJ. This had palate staining concentration , balanced with beautiful aromatics of black cherry, berry fruit, sweet & savory spice, graphite, licorice, meat, iron & violets. — 6 months ago
Nose is moderately intense blackberry and a kiss of rubber and black pepper. As this opens lilacs and violets.
Palate is silky blackberry. Internal aromatics are violets and blackberry flowers.
This is always such a great value every year. So well made. Such great typicity. So well made. Best value in the rhone. Ez.
A $50 wine for $25.
Fass selections
— 10 months ago
Classic St Joseph. Savory herbs, meaty, black olives. — 3 months ago
2026: Lush, full-bodied Rhône Syrah. Lots of typical black fruits, herbs and distinctive black olive undertones. Subtle tannins - this is drinking well and leans toward smoothness and complexity over power. $70 at WT. — 3 months ago
I love 21 N Rhone reds and it’s a throw back vintage to maybe 96/98? It’s so red fruited, classically structured and elegant. Like a symphony in 21 and not the recent guitar solo vintages.
Unreal nose of absolute harmony and so red fruited. A hint of barely ripe black cherry. Dried herbs. So heavenly. Crazy floral. Best young Gripa St Jo nose. Palate is so red fruited. So unusual for Gripa. Great depth and concentration and high acidity. Dusty, young and unformed finish but the red fruit really leaves it mark. It will fill in and gain finesse if it follows the trajectory of other 21’s. What a finish.
Now it’s more complex and so refined. Classic Mauves from yesteryear. 9.4 to 9.5. Juicy, tangy red berry fruit. So ethereal. Brilliant.
Today it is meatier on the nose but still red fruited mostly with some black fruits peeking through. Unreal spice and desiccated leaves. Tree bark as well and some smoke. Wild mint and lavender. Juicy and elegant and so nimble. Wow. — 5 months ago
Best expression of Syrah I’ve had in some time. 2021 was a hell of a Rhône year — 4 months ago
Smoky violets. Savory with a whiff of grapefruit. Whole cluster. Thoughtful. — 6 months ago
Pure pleasure, vivacious, juicy, deeply textured and ripe. A completely different experience than LBT — 6 months ago
Medium ruby with medium pink ruby rim . Slightly smoky dark plum and cherry, quite reserved and still young with a granite like , stony notes, after a while a touch of that garrigue . On the palate nice ripe dark plum and cherry notes , black pepper , touch of spice , refreshing acidity and quite gritty tannins , fills out well on the palate , with a saline tinge on the medium length finish . Drinking well now though could improve over the next 5 years or so and last well a further 5 . — 10 months ago
Peter Sultan
No notes. Beef jerky & dark cherries, on nose & palate. Thinner concentration I had hoped for, but suspect age, air and/ or long decant will bring it together — 3 months ago