2012 Saint-Joseph

Wine Details
Place of Origin

France

Saint Joseph

Northern Rhône

Color

Red

Grape/Blend

Syrah

Reviews & Tasting Notes

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Drinking Window

2017 - 2030

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The Gonon brothers' wines have become real objects of desire in recent years. And while they've become increasingly difficult to purchase here in the U.S. they’re well worth the hunt as well as the inevitably higher prices that they now command. Pierre Gonon told me in December that he considers 2013 to be "a classic vintage in style, with elegance and freshness emphasized," but he also thinks that the wines will be best enjoyed on the young side "while the fruit is strong." He's more confident in the ageworthiness of the 2012s and is particularly fond of "the silk and harmony of the tannins," which will allow the wines to age as well as to be enjoyed in their youth. Gonon opened a bottle of the 2005 Saint-Joseph at the end of our tasting and the wine is simply gorgeous, with intense red fruit and floral character and supple tannins that fade smoothly into the wine's fruit. If you have any, consider yourself fortunate. And you probably paid less than half what the '12 will be going for, to boot.

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Like a number of his neighbors, Pierre Gonon compares the 2011 vintage with 2006, but he says that "the wines acted more like the 2007s at first, with a lot of fruit but seemingly a lack of structure." That has changed since the wines went into bottle, he went on, and "they actually look like they'll be good to hold onto through about their tenth birthday because tannins have come out that we didn't expect." The Gonon brothers' wines are built to reward patience, regardless of vintage, as recent bottles of the 2005, 2006 and 2007 have proven recently here in New York. Gonon pulled out a couple of even older wines to have a look at their progress and both were showing extremely well: a 2003 Saint-Joseph conveyed the depth and power of that hot vintage but betrayed no roasted character or alcoholic burn. Its tannins seem to be fully absorbed and I'd opt for drinking it over the next few years. The 1996 Saint-Joseph Blanc Les Oliviers displayed a wild array of honeyed orchard and pit fruit qualities, with almost shockingly fresh acidity providing lift and spine. It's aging at a snail's pace, much like a topnotch white Hermitage, and while it's delicious now it should continue to cruise along for years to come, assuming good storage.