Screaming cranberry on the nose. It is by far the most dominant note but if you pick it apart there are red currant, blackberry, leather, and an oak twig. High acidity on the palate with medium tannin. Tart just like the cranberry. Oak wood and a little dill. First time trying northern Rhone, will definitely do again. 9/18
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opens with a minty, almost garrigue-like herbality to the nose, then you get pencil shavings and buttery chocolate cake aromas that come across as, initially at least, over-manipulated. More air adds incense and floral potpourri. The medium-bodied palate has a plum-skin extract component that gradually evolves into wild plum and black currant. Finishes somewhat rugged and austere—but authentic, which is interesting given how the nose had suggested mass production. Definitely keeps improving with air but hard to pick as a long-term ager. Drink it now.
Black cherry and menthol on the nose. On the palate, blackberry, black cherry, and notes of olive tapenade and iron on the medium finish, with light tannins and moderate to strong acidity. This was an average to good value at about $30.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Back in 2017, I had drunk a bottle of the 2013 vintage that was beautiful, so I thought I would give a try to this wine. Unfortunately, this is not giving much at the moment. The fruit seems to be dominated by the structure. It didn't improve after one day open in the fridge. I guess I will wait a couple of years before trying another bottle.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
I know all the pundits are saying wait until 2022 - 2023+ but it's just so damn delicious right now. We love St Joseph and this doesn't disappoint. A lovely wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark red purple black at core- restrained clean nose of blackberry, black olive, and iron. Tannins and acids supple enough and while not soft are les than expected. Aromas and flavors remain sedate. Three bottles over past year or so each similar. Solid wine I’m sure but the Farconnet at double the price is ten times the wine if your wallet allows - can’t imagine where the flagship Hermitage Rouge might fall.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had a glass with dinner right after opening and got back to it five hours later; drinkable right away, but certainly more open and expressive later on. Dense, blackberry/blueberry fruit, violet, black pepper, gentle smoke, with hints of thyme, olive and blood. Tasty, generous fruit, offset by good acidity and fairly firm but smooth tannins. Familiar profile, in a supple, smooth package, maybe even too polished around the edges but altogether enjoyable. Good value.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Loved this one. Smooth, ripe fruit and fabulous with pork tenderloin or seared strip steak! Could go for a case and cellar it. It will only get better. This is right up my alley!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark ruby, packed aromas of pepper, cured meat, woodsmoke, bell pepper, peppercorns, dense palate jammy rich with dark chocolate, oil, ripe cherries and suede tannins covering a mild acidity, long finish with fruit concentrate, drying front teeth tannins and woody afterbreath. A burly, loud, big-boned wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This opaque ruby Syrah delivers a saturated payload of blackberries, cassis, smoked meat, dried herbs and graphite. Full-bodied, fresh, judiciously oaked and with well-integrated alcohol (listed as 14.5%), it wraps its flavors with medium-weight, fine-grained tannins. Dense on the mid-palate, it moves on to a medium length finish that flashes a whiff of bacon. Quite drinkable now, it should provide pleasure for several more years. Drink now-2030.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nice nose of blueberries and olive oil. Palate is very rounded with juicy mouthfeel with some dark chcolate. A little sweetish but not sugary. Touch of silk and velvet to the palate. Good stuff. Makes you feel like eating chocolate dipped in extra virgin olive oil.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very savory wine on first opening. Really benefits from some aeration. I think this is a good wine, but a little overrated by JR. Best with food and I think will probably improve a bit with age.
Deep, violet color. Moderately intense nose once opened up, quite savory with some blueberry and dark cherry, but more olive, black bread and french oak. A little pepper.
Flavors match the nose. Not a lot of acid. Fairly firm tannins that coat the front of the mouth, not unpleasant at all and seem like they will soften over time. Medium alcohol, fairly full body and a decent length finish that accentuates the more savory elements.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Similar to my last note. Tonight it was tasted next to a '18 Coudoulet Beaucastel and it showed darker, more brooding fruit and perhaps less versatile but equally high quality. This is good now, and might improve a bit. A-
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
PNP and tasted over 3 hours. Dark color, dark ripe fruits on the nose with minerals, leather, some oak. With about an hour of air this rounds out a bit and starts to show more fruit and a rounder, longer finish. Quite good now with enough air and I think will improve with a couple of years of age. Very good wine for the $. A-
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fantastic as always - although this vintage seems to be much more fruit-focused and full-bodied, it's still an elegant wine and incredibly age-worthy, especially given the great QPR around $30.
A fairly tight but very deep, packed-in nose of lurking purple/black fruits, mostly fresh blackberry/blueberry/mulberry with some floral, liqueur-like sweetness, sort of like mirto or crème de cassis, even deeper down. There's also a bolt of noticeable alcohol (not present in previous two vintages) that thankfully shows as a minty, high-toned accent rather than a cloying heat. It's mostly about the fruit, but there's a good dose of olive, violets and sweet bacon fat, classical Syrah tones with slightly riper-than-usual Northern Rhone dark fruit, and well-balanced vanilla/dark chocolate oak.
Palate is really surprisingly bright after the deep, sweet nose; a lot of tangy wild blackberry with some bright red mulberry acidity providing plenty of zest. Some nicely meaty/savory accents here too, along with broad, sticky tannins (but with enough fruit and acid to balance them out.)
Enjoyable for sure, but almost felt genuinely too young to drink, even after 2 hours decanting. So much fruit, savory nuance, tannin and acidity waiting to harmonize. Will be unreal after 5 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose: medium (+) intensity of fresh blackberry, blueberry, dark plumbs, black pepper, savoury, leather, gaminess/ meatiness, violets
Palate: dry, high acid, high tannins—powdery and grippy, high alcohol, full body, pronounced intensity, medium (+) finish. Flavors of blackberry, blueberry, pepper, savoury, leather, gaminess/ meatiness. Fruit displays a fresh character.
Quality: Very Good. The flavors and aromas show complexity: multiple fruit clusters such as black fruits, florals, as well as earthy characteristics such as savoury meat and leather. The alcohol is not overt but rather integrated and the high acid balances out the complex flavors. The wine is not outstanding because it only shows the beginnings of tertiary development (leather).
Ageing: Suitable for bottle ageing. The wine has significant tannic, fruit concentration, and acidic structure to evolve further, and the initial tertiary flavors suggest further tertiary flavors can develop in bottle over time.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark blackberry, salted licorice, black pepper and some meaty undertones. Very northern rhone and very delicious, although more fruit forward than some. The only problem is this wine definitely needed way more time than I was able to give it and was consumed within an hour of being popped, no decant. If you have some and are planning on opening anytime soon, DECANT! I would say a minimum of 90 minutes. It was just beginning to really show its stuff on the last glass, and was pretty shut down at pop. Will get another bottle to give a better shake. A great northern rhone value at $26 and way more serious than I was anticipating, but not surprising given who is behind it - 91+.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wine in the time of Corona Virus - Quarantining in NYC & NH; 3/7/2020-9/1/2020 (NYC/NH): Popped, poured and consumed while playing a rousing game of socially distanced shuffle board. This is savory and dark fruited and while super young, quite easy drinking at this point. Tasty and savory and a good value for more accessible Northern Rhone Syrah.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Aroma: blackberries and eucalyptus. Palate: blackberries and leather with lashings of minerals. A savory, meaty aspect with a fair amount of peppery spice. Characteristic northern Rhône Syrah. Moderately tannic with good acidity and decent length.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is an amazing weeknight QPR wine. Incredibly pure Rhône Syrah with the most gorgeous purple blue color and burst of blue fruit, minerals, pencil lead and hints of that barnyard that I imagine comes with some age. Perfect wine to drink while your other Chave wines rest.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
8/31/2023 - markjanes wrote:
QN: smelled tired, was flat and dead on the palate. hopefully a bad bottle.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/4/2023 - AD_jutant wrote: 90 Points
Screaming cranberry on the nose. It is by far the most dominant note but if you pick it apart there are red currant, blackberry, leather, and an oak twig. High acidity on the palate with medium tannin. Tart just like the cranberry. Oak wood and a little dill.
First time trying northern Rhone, will definitely do again.
9/18
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/2/2022 - Giggs wrote: 89 Points
Opens with a minty, almost garrigue-like herbality to the nose, then you get pencil shavings and buttery chocolate cake aromas that come across as, initially at least, over-manipulated. More air adds incense and floral potpourri. The medium-bodied palate has a plum-skin extract component that gradually evolves into wild plum and black currant. Finishes somewhat rugged and austere—but authentic, which is interesting given how the nose had suggested mass production. Definitely keeps improving with air but hard to pick as a long-term ager. Drink it now.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)
7/11/2022 - Al-Vino Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent supple Syrah.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/10/2022 - RichardP wrote: 90 Points
Black cherry and menthol on the nose. On the palate, blackberry, black cherry, and notes of olive tapenade and iron on the medium finish, with light tannins and moderate to strong acidity. This was an average to good value at about $30.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/27/2022 - TMOVino2 wrote:
a bit closed at the moment. Give it plenty of air. Good weeknight food wine as usual.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/7/2021 - boillatm wrote:
Back in 2017, I had drunk a bottle of the 2013 vintage that was beautiful, so I thought I would give a try to this wine.
Unfortunately, this is not giving much at the moment. The fruit seems to be dominated by the structure. It didn't improve after one day open in the fridge. I guess I will wait a couple of years before trying another bottle.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/20/2021 - Vine wrote: 91 Points
I know all the pundits are saying wait until 2022 - 2023+ but it's just so damn delicious right now. We love St Joseph and this doesn't disappoint. A lovely wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/20/2021 - Tgood wrote: 89 Points
Dark red purple black at core- restrained clean nose of blackberry, black olive, and iron. Tannins and acids supple enough and while not soft are les than expected. Aromas and flavors remain sedate. Three bottles over past year or so each similar. Solid wine I’m sure but the Farconnet at double the price is ten times the wine if your wallet allows - can’t imagine where the flagship Hermitage Rouge might fall.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/30/2021 - Beerzebub Likes this wine:
Had a glass with dinner right after opening and got back to it five hours later; drinkable right away, but certainly more open and expressive later on. Dense, blackberry/blueberry fruit, violet, black pepper, gentle smoke, with hints of thyme, olive and blood. Tasty, generous fruit, offset by good acidity and fairly firm but smooth tannins. Familiar profile, in a supple, smooth package, maybe even too polished around the edges but altogether enjoyable. Good value.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/23/2021 - Jiagos Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good solid wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/2/2021 - spinnin_and_sippin Likes this wine: 92 Points
The lower end Chave. Approachable. Honeysuckle/floral and blackberry. Not overly complex.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
5/12/2021 - pfleche@gmail.com Likes this wine: 93 Points
Loved this one. Smooth, ripe fruit and fabulous with pork tenderloin or seared strip steak! Could go for a case and cellar it. It will only get better. This is right up my alley!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/2/2021 - glassnost Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark ruby, packed aromas of pepper, cured meat, woodsmoke, bell pepper, peppercorns, dense palate jammy rich with dark chocolate, oil, ripe cherries and suede tannins covering a mild acidity, long finish with fruit concentrate, drying front teeth tannins and woody afterbreath. A burly, loud, big-boned wine.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/21/2021 - Slics wrote: 92 Points
Still young - better after a couple years. Dark fruit, firm tannin, wonderful balance.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/18/2021 - La Cave d'Argent Likes this wine: 91 Points
This opaque ruby Syrah delivers a saturated payload of blackberries, cassis, smoked meat, dried herbs and graphite. Full-bodied, fresh, judiciously oaked and with well-integrated alcohol (listed as 14.5%), it wraps its flavors with medium-weight, fine-grained tannins. Dense on the mid-palate, it moves on to a medium length finish that flashes a whiff of bacon. Quite drinkable now, it should provide pleasure for several more years. Drink now-2030.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/30/2020 - winecoffee wrote: 91 Points
Nice nose of blueberries and olive oil. Palate is very rounded with juicy mouthfeel with some dark chcolate. A little sweetish but not sugary. Touch of silk and velvet to the palate. Good stuff. Makes you feel like eating chocolate dipped in extra virgin olive oil.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/5/2020 - nmichaud1 Likes this wine:
Peu de notes, mais excellent pour le niveau. Une belle syrah que j’ai bien aimé!
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/14/2020 - Volleyball Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very savory wine on first opening. Really benefits from some aeration. I think this is a good wine, but a little overrated by JR. Best with food and I think will probably improve a bit with age.
Deep, violet color. Moderately intense nose once opened up, quite savory with some blueberry and dark cherry, but more olive, black bread and french oak. A little pepper.
Flavors match the nose. Not a lot of acid. Fairly firm tannins that coat the front of the mouth, not unpleasant at all and seem like they will soften over time. Medium alcohol, fairly full body and a decent length finish that accentuates the more savory elements.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/3/2020 - MC wrote:
Similar to my last note. Tonight it was tasted next to a '18 Coudoulet Beaucastel and it showed darker, more brooding fruit and perhaps less versatile but equally high quality. This is good now, and might improve a bit. A-
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/24/2020 - DeLuz Does not like this wine: 80 Points
I feel like I am not drinking the same wine as other reviewers, off bottle?
Nose - very faint black berry, funk and some alcohol.
Palate - Quite savory under ripe fruit, gravel, high acid, chalky tannins.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/20/2020 - MC wrote:
PNP and tasted over 3 hours. Dark color, dark ripe fruits on the nose with minerals, leather, some oak. With about an hour of air this rounds out a bit and starts to show more fruit and a rounder, longer finish. Quite good now with enough air and I think will improve with a couple of years of age. Very good wine for the $. A-
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/11/2020 - sid_loves_wine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fantastic as always - although this vintage seems to be much more fruit-focused and full-bodied, it's still an elegant wine and incredibly age-worthy, especially given the great QPR around $30.
A fairly tight but very deep, packed-in nose of lurking purple/black fruits, mostly fresh blackberry/blueberry/mulberry with some floral, liqueur-like sweetness, sort of like mirto or crème de cassis, even deeper down. There's also a bolt of noticeable alcohol (not present in previous two vintages) that thankfully shows as a minty, high-toned accent rather than a cloying heat. It's mostly about the fruit, but there's a good dose of olive, violets and sweet bacon fat, classical Syrah tones with slightly riper-than-usual Northern Rhone dark fruit, and well-balanced vanilla/dark chocolate oak.
Palate is really surprisingly bright after the deep, sweet nose; a lot of tangy wild blackberry with some bright red mulberry acidity providing plenty of zest. Some nicely meaty/savory accents here too, along with broad, sticky tannins (but with enough fruit and acid to balance them out.)
Enjoyable for sure, but almost felt genuinely too young to drink, even after 2 hours decanting. So much fruit, savory nuance, tannin and acidity waiting to harmonize. Will be unreal after 5 years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/30/2020 - Mondarin Likes this wine: 91 Points
Appearance: Deep Purple
Nose: medium (+) intensity of fresh blackberry, blueberry, dark plumbs, black pepper, savoury, leather, gaminess/ meatiness, violets
Palate: dry, high acid, high tannins—powdery and grippy, high alcohol, full body, pronounced intensity, medium (+) finish. Flavors of blackberry, blueberry, pepper, savoury, leather, gaminess/ meatiness. Fruit displays a fresh character.
Quality: Very Good. The flavors and aromas show complexity: multiple fruit clusters such as black fruits, florals, as well as earthy characteristics such as savoury meat and leather. The alcohol is not overt but rather integrated and the high acid balances out the complex flavors. The wine is not outstanding because it only shows the beginnings of tertiary development (leather).
Ageing: Suitable for bottle ageing. The wine has significant tannic, fruit concentration, and acidic structure to evolve further, and the initial tertiary flavors suggest further tertiary flavors can develop in bottle over time.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/4/2020 - junglejuice wrote: 91 Points
Dark blackberry, salted licorice, black pepper and some meaty undertones. Very northern rhone and very delicious, although more fruit forward than some. The only problem is this wine definitely needed way more time than I was able to give it and was consumed within an hour of being popped, no decant. If you have some and are planning on opening anytime soon, DECANT! I would say a minimum of 90 minutes. It was just beginning to really show its stuff on the last glass, and was pretty shut down at pop. Will get another bottle to give a better shake. A great northern rhone value at $26 and way more serious than I was anticipating, but not surprising given who is behind it - 91+.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/19/2020 - retired_and_roving Likes this wine:
Wine in the time of Corona Virus - Quarantining in NYC & NH; 3/7/2020-9/1/2020 (NYC/NH): Popped, poured and consumed while playing a rousing game of socially distanced shuffle board. This is savory and dark fruited and while super young, quite easy drinking at this point. Tasty and savory and a good value for more accessible Northern Rhone Syrah.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/9/2020 - Tobinski Likes this wine:
An elegant expression of dark berries, bay leaf, pepper, and black tea. On the compact side now; should really be singing in 2 to 4 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/13/2020 - kosinski wrote:
Aroma: blackberries and eucalyptus.
Palate: blackberries and leather with lashings of minerals. A savory, meaty aspect with a fair amount of peppery spice. Characteristic northern Rhône Syrah. Moderately tannic with good acidity and decent length.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/3/2020 - TMOVino2 Likes this wine: 91 Points
This is an amazing weeknight QPR wine. Incredibly pure Rhône Syrah with the most gorgeous purple blue color and burst of blue fruit, minerals, pencil lead and hints of that barnyard that I imagine comes with some age. Perfect wine to drink while your other Chave wines rest.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/26/2020 - buymoreredsdrinkmorewhites Likes this wine:
Easy drinking Rhone from master Chave. Velvet mouthfeel, subdued black fruit notes. Nice finish and great value St Joseph wine. Cousin Pudge enjoyed.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment