2017 St Joseph Silice

The entry-level release, the 2017 Saint Joseph Silice is from a mix of terroirs and is aged a year in a variety of oak barrels. It’s always a good value, and the 2017 is no exception, offering classy notes of black fruits, ground pepper, leafy herbs, and damp earth. It's rich, medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and has the class to evolve for over a decade. I’ve raved about the quality coming from this estate in the past, and the young Jerome Coursodon continues to deliver the goods in every vintage. All of his wines come from steep, east, and south-facing, granite soils located outside the village of Mauve, in the southern part of the Saint Joseph appellation.

Bright violet. Lively aromas of fresh blueberry, blackberry and candied flowers. Dark fruit preserve, violet, olive paste, licorice and spicecake notes build slowly on the back half. In an energetic style, with sneaky tannins framing sweet dark fruit on a long, floral-tinged finish.

An impressive syrah with such rich, pure dark plums and cherries, as well as chocolate, black pepper, dark stones, toasted baking spice and licorice. The palate is so silky, really plush, fleshy and open with a very appealing, fresh-fruit finish. Drink or hold.