2022 - Saint-Joseph, Jean Louis Chave

I tasted numerous components that will form the final blend of the 2022 Saint-Joseph. Ripe red and blue fruits usher in, complemented by licorice, violets, cedar and pencil shaving elements. Medium-bodied, juicy and refined, all 2022 samples display wonderful freshness within an intricate web of polished tannins. If all continues down this path, this will be a terrific Saint-Joseph.

Notes of violet, chocolate, iris and flowers emerge from the 2022 Saint-Joseph, a medium to full-bodied, sweet and sappy wine with a concentrated, structured palate framed by an assertive tannic frame, culminating in a long, introverted finish. It derives from vines planted on gneiss and granite soils.

Cask samples tasted at the domaine.Sample 1: Chaillés. Perfumed violet and blue fruits on the nose – delicious, juicy and fresh.Sample 2: Le Clos. A slight menthol and eucalypt note, really perfumed as well. Supple and rounded tannins that are really well integrated into the sleek core.Sample 3: Dardouille. Firmer tannins than Le Clos with some real grip. Followed by a ripe and succulent core of dense blue fruit.Sample 4: Bachasson. Also has some really firm tannins. A cool graphite gnarliness yet with rounded, supple edges. A lovely balance of richness and elegance. (AC)