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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  Cheryl Bringuez

  A Syrah that’s both a great value for everyday drinking and good to have a stock of in the cellar. Flavors of dark berries and spice, solid structure, and nice acidity. Very rich and ripe. Ready to drink, but I would recommend cellaring it through 2017–2019.

  Food pairing: Grilled lamb

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

  Light, fruity, grapey scents mingle with suggestions of caramel, butter, and ripe red fruit. Straightforward and immediately appealing on the palate with an attractive, sapid quality. Good body, light tannins, and good acidity combine for a balanced flavor profile. Savory, subtle, restrained. Appealing now but likely to soften somewhat with another year or two in bottle.

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

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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  Cheryl Bringuez

  Exotic notes with plenty of spice — particularly anise and black pepper. Plenty of juicy raspberry and smoked meat on the palate. Complex and delicious.

  Food pairing: Korean BBQ

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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  Cheryl Bringuez

  Dark fruit is the core characteristic of this lively Syrah. Slightly spicy, with raspberry and blackcurrant flavors, and lots of grip on the finish. This wine has had considerable time in the bottle, but the fruit is still fresh and intense.

  Food pairing: Short ribs

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

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

  A wine of solid structure that will benefit from a few years in the cellar (through around 2017). Bold, with intense blackberry and spice. Drunk young, perhaps best paired with camembert and crusty bread or—even better—lamb chops.

  Food pairing: Lamb chops

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 deep, inky red color. A slightly restrained nose suggests blueberries, cocoa, and hints of soy. Although somewhat closed, it still has real presence on the palate, boasting dark fruit, cocoa, and blueberries. Still rather closed, it suggests an attractive softening in the years to come. A wine to watch.

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

Gold medal winner in the 2013 Sommelier Wine Awards. Sourced from 25-year-old Syrah vines on the domaine’s best hillsides, Cuvée du Papy is aged on lees for twice as long as the domaine’s regular Saint-Joseph, in 1/3 new-oak demi-muids. There is no fining at the end, just a light filtration to clear deposits. The result is a fragrant, plush and powerful wine.

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  Cheryl Bringuez

  Wonderful, with lots of character. An old-world Syrah that’s a good choice for New World Syrah lovers who want to explore. Black pepper, blackberry, and a hint of campfire on the nose. Gobs of awesome berry fruit laced with black pepper on the palate—a theme that continues through to the smooth, delicious finish.

  Food pairing: Steak Kebobs

Awarded a gold-medal in 2013 by Concours General Agricole Paris, this Syrah is said to exemplify the traditional style — rustic and sunny — of the appellation. Requires extensive cellaring.

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  Deborah Adeyanju

  The nose, characterized primarily by dark, jammy fruit, mushroom scents, leather, and spice, makes the wine seem young. The palate is full-bodied with a meaty intensity. The wine is dense and chewy, but with an ethereal quality to the blackberry, blueberry, and violet flavors present. Has well-integrated tannins. There is an attractive, savory mushroom quality to the finish. Likely to be approachable around 2017.

  Food pairing: venison and other full-flavored meats

Awarded a gold-medal in 2013 by Concours General Agricole Paris, this Syrah is said to exemplify the traditional style — rustic and sunny — of the appellation. Requires extensive cellaring.

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  Cheryl Bringuez

  With some cellar time, this enchanting Syrah will bloom and maybe even sparkle. For now it is a subdued beauty with notes of raspberry and licorice that are already developing nicely.

  Food pairing: Dark Chocolate