2009 St Joseph Les Oliviers Blanc

(80% marsanne and 20% roussanne) Vivid yellow. A drop-dead, highly perfumed bouquet displays scents of tangerine, pear skin, lemon thyme and smoky minerals, with a strong floral overlay. Sappy, pure and incisive, offering zesty orchard fruit and citrus zest flavors along with a bright minerality. Finishes spicy, brisk and with excellent persistence. Gonon said that he thinks there are some other grapes planted among the marsanne, most likely chasselas and possibly some altesse as well. The 2008, which I gave 91 points to last year, is drinking extremely well right now and showing a lot of rich, exotic fruit and floral characteristics. Gonon expects it to shut down in a year or so "and then you need to leave it alone for a decade."