M. Chapoutier : Les Granilites 2021

Cask sample. Very bright fruits, floral and earthy spice with a smoked note beneath. Quite tight and taut on the palate with firm tannins – dark fruits with good acidity. A little bit drying on the mid-palate. Meaty style. (AC)

Vinified from certified organic grapes, the 2021 Saint-Joseph Granilites displays fairly modest red fruits, cedar and earthy gradations. Leafy undertones add another layer. Light- to medium-bodied and well-balanced, the 2021 is an elegant and easy-drinking Saint-Joseph. I’d wish for a little more substance and length though.

Coming all from the granite hillside in the southern part of the appellation (outside Mauve and Tournon), the 2021 Saint Joseph Les Granilites has beautiful cassis and bright berry fruit notes as well as some classic violet and floral notes. It's another elegant, medium-bodied, finesse-driven 2021 with a beautiful sense of minerality. It should drink nicely for 7-8 years or so.

Salty and smoky, with pleasing chewiness to its notes of red fruit, flanked with cured tobacco leaf, toasted anise and spice details. A bacon lard element brings meatiness, and a tug of tar plays out on the sultry finish, wafting with sandalwood smoke. Drink now through 2032. 10 cases imported.

This wine reveals a high-toned, complex nose where dried lavender intertwines with black plum, black licorice, clove, and a hint of musk. Full-bodied and generous, its vibrant acidity lifts dense black fruit and subtle herbaceous notes, gradually piercing through firm layers of granite minerality that veil its depth. With time, its complexities should fully unfold. Best enjoyed after 2028+.