A good wine with good value, this is a great introduction to Syrahs from the southern part of Northern Rhône. Ready to drink now, it shows off the excellence of the 2009 vintage.

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  Deborah Adeyanju

  An inky, nearly opaque purple. The nose is evolving, offering animal scents, wet leaves, wet earth and a slightly rancio element, as well as meat, truffles, currants and other dark fruit. The palate suggests mocha, black raspberries, and blackberries, with violet emerging on the mid-palate. Well-integrated, with grippy tannins. Robust, expansive wine with a smooth texture that complements its massive frame. Approachable now but likely to drink well through 2024. Serve with roasts or smoked meats.

  Food pairing: Serve w/roasts or smoked meats

A light but elegant Saint-Joseph, created with Syrah grapes grown on the upper half of granitic hillsides and aged 9 months in oak. We find it great for everyday drinking.

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  Colin Talcroft

  A deep purple-red suggesting youth and with attractive earthy, meaty scents on the nose, developing cocoa notes after a little air contact. Up-front, concentrated, rich fruit; delicate tannins; and a streak of bright acid make for a nicely balanced wine rather more refined and elegant than Saint-Joseph often is. Has a particularly seductive resurgence of fruity sweetness on the finish. A good example of the appellation. Tasty now but likely to develop further with a few more years in bottle.

  Food pairing: Chicken with morels, ratatouille, duck, lamb, turkey, lasagna, pizza

A light but elegant Saint-Joseph, created with Syrah grapes grown on the upper half of granitic hillsides and aged 9 months in oak. We find it great for everyday drinking.

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  Cheryl Bringuez

  This is a light, delicate, Pinot drinker’s Syrah. A classic and classy example of how the Syrah grape tastes when grown in a cool climate. Juicy raspberry with a hint of white pepper. Great acidity on the finish makes this a nice food-pairing wine.

  Food pairing: Lemongrass pork

This is a robust Saint Joseph, strong and firm, particularly when compared to Pichon’s Saint Joseph. We advise giving it a little time in the cellar before drinking.

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  Deborah Adeyanju

  Blood, roasted meat, tapenade, black truffles, coffee grounds, pepper and other savory spices, boysenberry and other dark fruits, and something earthy combine to create a complex, evolving nose. Full-bodied, with slightly jammy blueberry and other dark fruit flavors, this wine coats the mouth with violets, pungent spice, and gamey, meaty flavors. Massive structure with a lengthy, fruity finish that builds in intensity then recedes, leaving concentrated blue and black fruit flavors lingering. A baby, but already stunning! A wine possibly at peak in 2019. Calls out for wild boar or other game.

  Food pairing: Game or wild boar

This is a robust Saint Joseph, strong and firm, particularly when compared to Pichon’s Saint Joseph. We advise giving it a little time in the cellar before drinking.

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  Colin Talcroft

  Deeply colored and intensely perfumed with dark fruit scents, mixed with Chinese herbs, wood, ginger, soy, leather, and musky, meaty scents. Bright, clean, but intense fruitiness on the palate, nicely balanced by tannin and a streak of brisk acidity, especially on the mid-palate. Lingering, concentrated, dark cherry flavors on the finish. Delicious.

  Food pairing: Lamb; sausages; grilled or barbecued meat; pungent stews; pepper steak; dishes flavored with olives

Rarely exported, this white Saint-Joseph is made of 100% Marsanne grapes, grown on granitic soil. More flavorful and fruity than an Ermitage White, with more richness and breadth on the palate than a Saint-Peray.

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  Cheryl Bringuez

  A wine with great depth and a complex, bright nose. The citrus comes out, but the fruit is ripe so this wine is approachable now. This wine is nicely balanced with citrusy acidity giving way to more depth and richness as you sip.

  Food pairing: Sushi

A play on the words nouvelle (new) and ère (era), this wine is actually sourced from the oldest vines on the Jaboulet domaine, including some once used to produce Paul Jaboulet Aîné’s most famous wines. A great introduction to Rhône Syrahs and a great value!

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  Deborah Adeyanju

  Intense black olive, dark chocolate, and dark fruit scents on the nose with mossy and briny notes developing as well. Full-bodied, with ripe blackberry and black currant flavors bursting onto the palate along with something suggestive of clay. Mouth coating, with a slightly waxy texture, well-integrated tannins, and a lengthy finish. Weighty, fleshy, and rich, with an intense concentration of fruit. Likely to be approachable from around 2016 and then drink well through around 2026 or beyond.

  Food pairing: try with a spicy beef kebab or roasted pork

Made from grapes almost entirely destemmed, this wine is sourced from young Syrah vines and aged in demi-muid barrels. The result is a fresh Syrah with immediate appeal.

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  Deborah Adeyanju

  The nose overflows with licorice and dark fruit, with meat and truffles. Full bodied on the palate with violets, blueberries, and other dark fruit flavors. Substantial, with supple tannins and great concentration contributing to the dense texture. Likely to be ready in 2016–2017.

  Food pairing: Roast pork, wild boar, sausage, hearty meat dishes

This is the prestige wine — best white of the domaine — harvested from the best and oldest Marsanne and Roussanne vines to create a blend with substance and finesse. Made in very small quantities, this wine flies off the shelves in France. Get it while it lasts!

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  Cheryl Bringuez

  Fresh, with stone-fruits, minerals, and spring flowers. Approachable and easy to drink but with an acidic backbone that suggests pairing with cheeses and fruit.

  Food pairing: Brie and pears

Drinkable now, but will improve with age. This is a rich, strong, beautiful wine, made from terraced Syrah parcels south of Tournon.

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  Colin Talcroft

  A very deep, inky red with rustic, meaty, earthy scents on the nose along with a streak of violets and ripe, red fruit. The palate, mirroring the nose, is suggestive of violets and bright fruit but also something earthy and meaty. Beautifully balanced with brisk acidity, seductive fruit, and prominent but delicate tannins. An unusually nuanced and elegant example of wine from Saint-Joseph—an example of what this appellation can achieve at its best.

  Food pairing: Chicken with morels, ratatouille, duck, lamb, turkey, lasagna, pizza

Drinkable now, but will improve with age. This is a rich, strong, beautiful wine, made from terraced Syrah parcels south of Tournon.

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  Cheryl Bringuez

  Quite dense on the nose, with dark tart berries. The tartness of the berry will subside over time and this Syrah will develop to have ripe raspberry and delicious mocha notes. The mouthfeel shows great structure. A very well made Syrah to add to your cellar.

  Food pairing: Dark chocolate

A late-harvest sweet wine, unusual for the region, the Condrieu Patience evokes violet and yellow fruit. Harvested from 20-year-old Viognier vines and only made on exceptional years, Patience is a lovely reward for those who can wait for it.

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  Cheryl Bringuez

  In lieu of dessert, some prefer to serve a decadent dessert wine with an accompaniment of cheeses. This beauty has flavors of honey, apricot, acacia, and pure joy. Very pleasant, honeyed mouthfeel. Stone fruits a-plenty on a drawn-out finish. A dessert wine, but not syrupy, thick, or overly sweet. If you find an irresistible blue cheese or camembert, pop the cork on this bottle to go along with it.

  Food pairing: Cambozola cheese