2016 St Joseph Francis de Tournon

The 2016 Saint Joseph François De Tournon comes from more schist and gneiss soils and spent 10-14 months in mostly used barrels, with a small part in tank to preserve more freshness. It's another ruby/purple-colored effort from this estate and gives up lots of blackberry and blueberry fruits intermixed with earthy minerality, ground pepper, and hints of damp earth. Rich, layered, and textured, it will be better in a year or two and keep for 8-10, if not longer. Owned by the Louis Roederer/Deutz Champagne firm, Delas Frères is another largely negotiate estate that is fashioning brilliant wines from throughout the Rhône Valley. The incredible quality has been led by Burgundian Jacques Grange, who joined Delas Frères in 1997, and he’s assisted by the talented Claire Darnaud. The 2015s, reviewed last year, are some of the finest wines ever from this estate (same league as the 2009s and 2010s). They’ve done a fine job in 2016, with the wines showing more elegant characters, missing the density or structure of a top year, yet offering balanced, very drinkable profiles. The 2017s should surpass the 2016s, but also have upfront charming characters. It’s worth noting that this estate has seen a progression in style since 2005, where the wines were more extracted and oaky, to the 2016s and 2017s today, which could be seen as more mid-weight and elegant.

The 2016 Saint-Joseph Francois de Tournon comes from the granite soils of Tournon, near the southern end of the appellation. Loaded with dark, savory scents of espresso and black olive, this medium to full-bodied wine is supple and creamy-textured on the palate, a lovely effort, crowned by a long, silky and vibrant finish. It should drink well for a decade (and maybe more).

Bright purple. Powerful, mineral-accented black and blue fruit and violet aromas are energized by a jolt of peppery spices. Fleshy, juicy and broad on the palate, offering intense boysenberry, blueberry and floral pastille flavors that tighten up slowly with aeration. Densely packed yet lively as well, finishing with excellent clarity and thrust, smooth tannins and excellent persistence.