2017 Guy Farge "Terroir de Granit" Saint-Joseph

With just a small proportion of what Thomas Farge calls "newer" oak (one to four years) and the rest older oak, the 2017 Saint Joseph Terroir de Granit is more about the fruit and the terroir than the élevage. Black olives and black cherries balance each other out nicely, made more complex with the addition of some gentle herb accents. It's medium to full-bodied, concentrated yet silky, with a long finish that echoes of black tea leaves. It should drink well for a decade or so. (JC)

A visit to Guy and Thomas Farge's property screams terroir. Driving up the hill was reminiscent of a French farce where my GPS sent me up a nearby dirt road that was all slippery decomposing gravel instead of the slightly better paved road 50 meters away. I got half way up the hill when another neighboring producer gave the knowingly sad head-shake when I realized I was on a fool's errand and had to slowly back/slide down the hill in reverse. I made my correction and arrived a few minutes later at the winery's door. Guy and Thomas welcomed me and we took a quick tour of the property and vineyards. I kept looking back down the hill, which gave me an appreciation for the difficulty of working these hillside slopes (let alone driving up them). Granite is really what great St-Joseph is all about though. The hills erode under your feet (or tires) crumbling into gravel and sand when it reaches the bottom of the hill making for great (but difficult) conditions for Syrah production. The Terroir de Granit is a classic expression with its red and black fruit flavors evolving in the glass and showing the light herbal undertones and savory spice notes. This is a wine that is destined to have a long life and a few bottles discovered years in the future will have even more of the hallmark profile of smoky bacon fat added for great measure. Right now, it is joyous with its lush but balanced fruit and silky tannins. I can't wait to visit the Farge's again, this time though I'll adjust my route to favor the paved road. I'll leave the difficult hillsides to the producers.