These Domaine La Tache bottles were really good. This was the last of my stash. Meaty, gamey, bloody, olive tapenade, Rocking straight from the open, and held up beautifully over 2 nights. I so wish I could find more of these!!!
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Well hello there, this is delicious. It has depth. It has character. It shows all the classic virtues of Northern Rhône Syrah, with ample levels of roasted meats, dark fruit, sun-drenched herbs and just a touch of worn leather. This actually feels quite youthful, and has rewarded a patient decade+ of cellaring with a couple of false starts where the wine just didn’t want to play. Right now it’s a pleasure to drink, and appears to have a bright future. Glad to have a few more bottles.
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So I didn’t take my own advice from my note of a year ago when I said “drink up”. I kept one bottle to try in a year, actually hoping I might be wrong., Consistent notes, with more tart acid showing on the finish. Nice little coffee flavor on the back end, but this is slowly losing its vitality, despite fading floral qualities that sing St Joseph. Sad to see you go...
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Black raspberry, crushed gravel dust, black plum skins, and an almost hidden backnote of bird filled barnyard. “Aging on its acids” is a nice phrase for this wine. Absent food, it seems dry, tight, tart. With a long braised short rib (red wine, soy, ginger, cinnamon, date paste, strong coffee) , the acidity was a foil for the flavors, and the weak midpalate and short citrusy finish wasn’t a distraction. With dinner done, I don’t think I’ll finish the bottle... Drink up, this isn’t getting better, lacks stuffing.
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Three years since my last taste of this wine, and a transformation has happened. What was once a rather screechy, high toned wine, has become a meaty, leathery, earthy wine with supporting structure and a mouthwatering finish. This is mature Northern Rhône Syrah with no artifice, just a clear view to a place. Lovely now and for a while to come.
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This initially appears to be aging on its acids, with unlit pipe tobacco, cherry fruit, red meat and herbal tones all prominent. It's got more tannin than I initially noticed, and that grows the longer the wine is open. Lighter bodied than most St. Joseph wines I have had recently, it is thus more readily drinkable, and more amenable to being a partner to food rather than dominating the meal. This won't win any points contests, but it will make an engaging partner at the dinner table.
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A Saint-Joseph that transitioned from being pretty to more moody and savory several hours later. Cherry then after time in the decanter, blackcurrant fruit. The wine slowly became more suave, if a little tannic. A stony, granitic taste with almost a roasted onion savoriness to it as the fruit bled away. By the end the smell was atmospheric, like a woodland fire on a cold day.
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This is very correct and drinkable St. Joseph. Plenty of meat, pepper and red fruit. Not a lot of tannic backbone, but I have plenty of other wines that need cellar time.
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What a lovely Saint-Joseph. This wine is made by the guys who do much of the vineyard work for a number of top domaines in the Northern Rhone, including Eric Texier, and this cuvée comes from a vineyard planted 20-40 years ago on a steep, granite slope. They make their no-frills, honest wine in a garage.
The wine is a lot like a Texier. It's got a classic profile of red and black fruits, olives, black pepper, and smoked meat. With air more floral notes come through. It's medium bodied but very intensely flavored, in excellent balance though a fair amount of drying tannins on the finish. Great discovery!
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Ap: Clear purple red Aroma: Sweetish, complex dark fruits Full bodied, concentrated and good balance. Blackberries, minerals and a touch of pepper on the palate Good length
Good now, but will improve
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Aroma: ripe dark fruit, black pepper, smoke and rubber Full-bodied with very good acidity medium+ tannins. Good balance. Ripe dark fruit and black pepper on the palate. Good length.
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10/2/2023 - pryby Likes this wine: 93 Points
These Domaine La Tache bottles were really good. This was the last of my stash. Meaty, gamey, bloody, olive tapenade, Rocking straight from the open, and held up beautifully over 2 nights. I so wish I could find more of these!!!
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11/7/2021 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Well hello there, this is delicious. It has depth. It has character. It shows all the classic virtues of Northern Rhône Syrah, with ample levels of roasted meats, dark fruit, sun-drenched herbs and just a touch of worn leather. This actually feels quite youthful, and has rewarded a patient decade+ of cellaring with a couple of false starts where the wine just didn’t want to play. Right now it’s a pleasure to drink, and appears to have a bright future. Glad to have a few more bottles.
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7/22/2019 - OenoEd wrote: 88 Points
So I didn’t take my own advice from my note of a year ago when I said “drink up”. I kept one bottle to try in a year, actually hoping I might be wrong., Consistent notes, with more tart acid showing on the finish. Nice little coffee flavor on the back end, but this is slowly losing its vitality, despite fading floral qualities that sing St Joseph. Sad to see you go...
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7/2/2018 - OenoEd wrote: 89 Points
Black raspberry, crushed gravel dust, black plum skins, and an almost hidden backnote of bird filled barnyard. “Aging on its acids” is a nice phrase for this wine. Absent food, it seems dry, tight, tart. With a long braised short rib (red wine, soy, ginger, cinnamon, date paste, strong coffee) , the acidity was a foil for the flavors, and the weak midpalate and short citrusy finish wasn’t a distraction. With dinner done, I don’t think I’ll finish the bottle... Drink up, this isn’t getting better, lacks stuffing.
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6/20/2018 - Rieslingfan wrote:
Three years since my last taste of this wine, and a transformation has happened. What was once a rather screechy, high toned wine, has become a meaty, leathery, earthy wine with supporting structure and a mouthwatering finish. This is mature Northern Rhône Syrah with no artifice, just a clear view to a place. Lovely now and for a while to come.
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10/8/2017 - MLipton wrote:
Still rather primary to our tastes, with good acidity, but also perhaps a bit simple. A good accompaniment to venison steaks.
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6/1/2016 - Tussius wrote: 89 Points
Meaty with dark fruits, mushrooms and pepper. Soft, loose palate with an interesting character. Good concentration and length.
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11/23/2015 - Rieslingfan wrote:
This initially appears to be aging on its acids, with unlit pipe tobacco, cherry fruit, red meat and herbal tones all prominent. It's got more tannin than I initially noticed, and that grows the longer the wine is open. Lighter bodied than most St. Joseph wines I have had recently, it is thus more readily drinkable, and more amenable to being a partner to food rather than dominating the meal. This won't win any points contests, but it will make an engaging partner at the dinner table.
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8/24/2015 - Ben H. Likes this wine:
A Saint-Joseph that transitioned from being pretty to more moody and savory several hours later. Cherry then after time in the decanter, blackcurrant fruit. The wine slowly became more suave, if a little tannic. A stony, granitic taste with almost a roasted onion savoriness to it as the fruit bled away. By the end the smell was atmospheric, like a woodland fire on a cold day.
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1/14/2014 - Chomsky wrote:
Even better than the last bottle; great freshness and gamy all the same. Excellent wine.
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11/24/2013 - Rieslingfan wrote: 88 Points
This is very correct and drinkable St. Joseph. Plenty of meat, pepper and red fruit. Not a lot of tannic backbone, but I have plenty of other wines that need cellar time.
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11/14/2013 - Chomsky wrote:
What a lovely Saint-Joseph. This wine is made by the guys who do much of the vineyard work for a number of top domaines in the Northern Rhone, including Eric Texier, and this cuvée comes from a vineyard planted 20-40 years ago on a steep, granite slope. They make their no-frills, honest wine in a garage.
The wine is a lot like a Texier. It's got a classic profile of red and black fruits, olives, black pepper, and smoked meat. With air more floral notes come through. It's medium bodied but very intensely flavored, in excellent balance though a fair amount of drying tannins on the finish. Great discovery!
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10/25/2013 - Spencer wrote:
Very good. Still young but already showing some complexity. Balanced. Opened up considerably with decanting.
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1/30/2011 - larsrog wrote: 89 Points
A: Ripe fruit, pepper and smoke.
Full bodied with good balance. Fine acidity and tannins.
Quite complex palate with good lenght.
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1/29/2011 - admid wrote: 89 Points
Ap: Clear purple red
Aroma: Sweetish, complex dark fruits
Full bodied, concentrated and good balance. Blackberries, minerals and a touch of pepper on the palate
Good length
Good now, but will improve
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1/28/2011 - guitarkim wrote: 90 Points
Aroma: ripe dark fruit, black pepper, smoke and rubber
Full-bodied with very good acidity medium+ tannins. Good balance. Ripe dark fruit and black pepper on the palate.
Good length.
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