2016 St Joseph Les Serines
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
Inky ruby. Black and blue fruits, olive, peony, incense and smoky mineral qualities on the deeply perfumed nose. Palate-staining blueberry, cherry liqueur, fruitcake and floral pastille flavors become more energetic with air and take on licorice and exotic spice notes on the back half. Rich but lively as well, finishing with emphatic back-end cut on a strikingly long finish that features fine-grained tannins and lingering floral and spice notes. This is an extremely impressive example of Saint-Joseph from the northern sector of the appellation, and while it should deliver plenty of upfront appeal, it's also balanced to age gracefully.
Critic scores
Average Score
James Suckling
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2016 Saint Joseph Les Serines is a beautiful wine that spent 18 months in 50% new French oak. Lots of blueberries, cassis, crushed violets, and damp rock notes all flow to a medium to full-bodied, supple, elegant Syrah that has terrific balance and building tannins. It shines for its purity of fruit as well as its balance, and will keep for 10-12 years.
Impressive structure in this St.-Joseph. Really powerful fruit here. Aromas of red plums and cherries, pepper and sweetly spiced wood, leading to a palate with red-plums, cola and black-cherry flavors. Super fresh and plenty of potential. Try in 2022.
Dark purple. A deeply perfumed bouquet evokes dark fruit liqueur, pungent flowers and olive paste, while black pepper and mineral nuances add complexity. Sappy and focused on the palate, offering densely packed, mineral-laced blackberry, boysenberry and violet pastille flavors and an exotic hint of Moroccan spices. Clings with impressive tenacity on the finish, which features mounting tannins and lingering floral and spice character.