2016 St Joseph Domaine de la Croix des Vignes

The medium ruby-colored 2016 Saint Joseph La Croix Des Vignes (this comes from a more south-facing slope to the left of the Vignes de Hospice) offers classic granite notes of black raspberries, crushed rocks, graphite, and violets, with subtle hints of bacon fat rounding out the bouquet. Textured, rounded, and supple, yet with integrated acidity, it's another winner from this estate that will keep for a decade or more. The big news at this benchmark estate is the loss of winemaker Jacques Desvernois to Domaine Guigal. At the time of my tasting with Caroline Frey, there was no replacement, so it will be interesting to see who comes on board. They will certainly have big shoes to fill. Nevertheless, the estate has been on an incredible roll, with their sensational 2015s last year, and now two strong vintages with their 2016s and 2017s.

The red-fruited 2016 Saint Joseph Domaine de la Croix des Vignes features cherry and olive notes. It's rich and velvety across the medium to full-bodied mid-palate, turning crisp and tart on the finish. Drink now through 2030.

Limpid yellow. Ripe, expansive orchard and pit fruit aromas, along with suggestions of jasmine, chamomile and honeysuckle. Deeply concentrated but minerally and nervy as well, offering palate-staining tangerine, pear nectar and fennel flavors underscored and lifted by a vein of zesty minerality. Shows excellent clarity and mineral thrust on a very long, silky finish that emphatically repeats the pear and floral notes.