2015 St Joseph Les Roches Vieilles Vignes

(all old Serine vines and made with 50 percent whole clusters; raised in 50 percent new oak casks) Bright purple. A highly perfumed, complex bouquet evokes ripe black and blue fruits, licorice, vanilla and spicecake. Concentrated blackberry, cola and violet pastille flavors show excellent depth and clarity, and a spine of juicy acidity adds structure. Effortlessly marries richness and vivacity and finishes very long and gently sweet; supple tannins come in late and fold into the sappy dark fruit.

The saturated, inky purple-colored 2015 St Joseph Vieilles Vignes is a deep, concentrated and structured wine that offers obvious minerality intermixed with notions of black and blue fruits, graphite, toasty oak and roasted herbs. Possessing high extract, notable freshness and ripe tannin, give bottles 2-3 years of cellaring and enjoy over the following decade.

100% Syrah, including Sérine (Syrah 60 years old and Sérine over 100 years old). La Madonne sur Chavanay, Coteaux Vitrine sur Saint-Pierre de Bœuf, Ste-Épine sur Saint-Jean de Muzols, Les Oliviers sur Mauve. One-third whole bunch, aged in new and one-year-old barrels. Purplish crimson. Gorgeously aromatic with heady scents of blossom and menthol. Very broad and ripe on the palate. Nothing remotely austere about this. Full-on charm! Massive sinew but no shortage of flesh either. Dry but not drying finish. Real energy here. (JR)