M. Chapoutier : Les Granits 2022

Very darkly coloured. Meaty, bloody charcoal notes, along with melted-down blackberries and a touch of damson. Full-bodied but not massive, this is a very grand, savoury style that is extremely concentrated and promises great complexity. Structured with forthright acidity and bold, grippy tannins, just a bit too bold, perhaps. Not the most refined but this is still an excellent wine. 10% whole bunch.

Intense and harmonious, the 2022 Saint-Joseph Les Granits rises from the glass with aromas of ripe black fruits, licorice, pencil shavings and fleshy facets. Medium- to full-bodied and inviting, the tasty 2022 is gently built around sleek tannins and fresh acidity, finishing with precision on the elongated conclusion.

Powerful, weighty and stylish, with a pleasingly chewy texture to the dense core of winey plum and steeped cherry, detailed with smoked bacon fat, peppercorn, singed anise and garrigue. Polished with a kiss of smoked alder, the depth is driven by graphite shavings and fine-grained tannins that maintain a firm grip. This will benefit from time in bottle. Drink now through 2040. 12 cases imported.

Matured 50% in barrels (30% in large barrels and 20% in 1,200-liter foudres), the 2022 Saint-Joseph Les Granits exudes an austere, reduced bouquet of violet, lilac, chocolate and iris mingled with abundant spicy notes. Medium to full-bodied, dense and concentrated with a structured, assertive tannic frame, it's solid and rich with bitterness in the finish enhanced by peppery notes. More charming than Crozes-Ermitage Les Varonniers, this is a rather somber Saint-Joseph.