2022 St Joseph Ste Epine
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All destemmed and raised in barrel with 20% new, the 2022 Saint Joseph Sainte-Epine comes from a cooler, decomposed granite terroir just north of Tournon. It offers pure cassis and black raspberry fruits as well as spicy oak, crushed stone, and dried flowers. It's medium to full-bodied, concentrated, has perfect balance, fine tannins, and a great finish. It's a brilliant example of the vintage and will keep for 15+ years. Drink 2025-2040. Founded in 1835, Delas Frères is unquestionably one of the historic houses of the Northern Rhône and remains a major presence today, with 30 hectares of estate vineyards spread across Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, and Saint Joseph. The estate owns 10 hectares on the Hermitage hill, 18 hectares in Crozes-Hermitage, and 2 hectares in Saint Joseph. In Hermitage, Delas produces two flagship reds: Les Bessards, sourced exclusively from the granite soils of the Bessards lieu-dit, and Domaine des Tourettes, which is a blend of parcels including L'Hermite and Les Grandes Vignes. In addition, they created a new cuvée in 2015, Ligne de Crête Les Grandes Vignes, which comes from a specific selection of vines in the Grandes Vignes lieu-dit and is only produced in top vintages. The white Domaine des Tourettes Blanc comes primarily from Marsanne from the southern portion of Bessards and Les Grandes Vignes, which is unique as this is largely Syrah territory. In Côte Rôtie, La Landonne comes from what is unquestionably one of the greatest vineyards and is from very old vines, while Seigneur de Maugiron is a blend from both the Côte Blonde and Côte Brune sections of the appellation. The Sainte-Épine cuvée in Saint Joseph comes from vines just north of Tournon and is released only in top vintages. In 2020, Delas completed a new gravity-fed winery in Tain-l'Hermitage designed by architect Carl Fredrik Svenstedt. Since 1997, winemaker Jacques Grange has overseen production. A graduate of the University of Dijon and formerly with Michel Chapoutier, Grange has played a key role in elevating quality at Delas, and they're certainly firing on all cylinders today.
Critic scores
Average Score
Alistair Cooper MW, jancisrobinson.com
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2022 Saint-Joseph Sainte-Epine is a real success at this address. It is crafted from vines planted on granite soils facing southwest in the commune of Saint-Jean de Muzols. This location is cooler than other plots in the same commune due to its proximity to the Doux River, which enhances the grapes’ ability to maintain freshness and balance. Revealing a complex, fresh and redolent bouquet of licorice, dark berries, dark cherries and flowers, despite the presence of oak, it's medium to full-bodied, layered and structured, complemented by a fleshy core of fruit, satiny tannins and a long, ethereal and telluric finish. It will age very nicely.
The classic 2022 Saint-Joseph Saint-Épine reveals notes of ripe black cherry, pencil shaving, cedar and a touch of blueberry. Medium- to full-bodied and built around a solid tannic structure, the concentrated 2022 showed very well on this occasion. This checks out with lovely freshness on the savory close.
Aged for 14–16 months in barrels (50% new, 50% second use). Cask sample. Tasted blind. Attractive meaty and slightly smoky nose. The palate has good concentration and quite firm tannins, moderate acidity and a tightly coiled finish. Medium weight, and needs time to express itself – I like the fresh cool finish that lifts the wine. (AC)