Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.4

Exactly in the zone. Gorgeous nose of lavender, wild mint, Herbes de Provence, grilled meat, bacon, blood, granite and blackberry fruit. This has become fully mature but not old, with that perfect mid-term aging window where the fruit is still alive and the savory Rhône complexity has arrived. Palate is juicy, sappy and energetic, with dark fruit, meat, smoke, granite and real structure. Tannins gained a little grip with air, but the fruit kept winning. Beautifully Crozes, but if blinded, many would guess elite Saint-Joseph. Drinking at apogee, and honestly could still go longer. 9.4, flirting hard with 9.5.

Day two. Nose is mintier, wilder, more sauvage. Still juicy, clean, drinkable, and delicious, with a long finish and real fruit remaining, but it has lost a little clarity and precision from day one. Not collapsed at all, just slightly less vivid. Still absolutely something I’d drink happily. — 2 months ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.4

2023 vintage. From vines planted in 1968. Wonderful floral nose, elegant and complex. This small estate is a great discovery, I had a nice conversation with owner Denis Basset and one of his young daughters, Eva, who is fully involved. An estate to watch! — 9 months ago

Jana Manfredi

9.2

Still beautiful… — 10 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2019 vintage. As rustic as ever. Blood. Earth. Plum. Stems. Heavy body. A step or two above a solid workhorse but not flighty. Tremendous punch. Could be wrong but think this producer only does Saint Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage and both are great QPR. 10.30.24. — 2 years ago

Adam Gäfvert

9.2

Guigal considers this Saint Joseph lieu-dit to be their fourth Lala wine. As the name suggests this plot was once owned by the hospital and is a steep slope opposite the Hermitage mountain. It sports dark ripe fruits that are elegantly tamed by Guigal’s famous oak programme. Bursting with aromas and flavour. Dark berries, spice and really luxurious roundness. — 3 years ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.1

Textbook Northern Rhone Syrah in a very affordable, drink now package. Bing cherry, currants, light and pleasantly integrated peppercorn and smoke notes, a touch of beef bouillon and soil. Medium bodied, pure textures of finely grained tannin and perfectly integrated acidity. Med+ on the finish. If you have been drinking new world syrah and are hesitant to buy in on a Cote-Rotie, Hermitage or even a Saint-Joseph, this is a nice entry point. — 4 years ago

Shay A

9.5

My contributions for a fun right bank Bordeaux dinner. This ended up being a standout amongst the group but others included ‘95 Cheval Blanc, ‘05 L’Evangile and ‘89 Figeac (the starter whites may have stole the show…mag of ‘10 Chave Hermitage Blanc, ‘08 Dom, ‘21 Magi’s CdP Blanc…this ‘04 ZH I brought was an excellent bridge to dessert…good r/s but not cloying; incredible vineyard).

I’ve only had TR once before but it was infanticide many years ago. At roughly 20yrs, I was excited to catch this on what I expected to be near peak. Very tight upon opening but after 45mins in the bottle, this really strut its stuff. Red and purple floral aromatics, bay leaf, and leather. Beautifully elegant on the palate but everything is in its place…supremely balanced. Clean (no brett), multi-layered fruit spectrum (red, purple, blackberries), sweet tobacco, espresso, little cassis. No roasted or over ripe profile, and also not a lean/green machine. Balance balance balance. Lovely. Wish I had another. — 4 months ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.3

2024. Marsanne 70% and Roussanne. — 9 months ago

Shay A

9.3

@Delectable Wine : This is the La Pierelle Hermitage Blanc. I didn’t see it in the database.

Project between Louis Barruol (of Chateau Saint Cosme) and Kermit Lynch. From the small plot called La Pierrelle near the top of the hill (vines are more than eighty years old). 100% Marsanne.

Pours a bright-gold color. Aromatically you can smell the dried apricots and honeysuckle from a foot away. Classically viscous and waxy, but by no means cloying or flabby. Reminds me of those Bit-O-Honey candies as a kid with honeyed-lemon followed by some truffle Marcona almonds at the finish. Mid-palate texture is weighty and the finish is lengthy. Fruit isn’t dominant here (as expected) but the complexity with the almond skin/waxy bitter notes is beautiful. I love Rhône whites.

Followed over two days and stayed consistent. Pop and pour now for stage one, or hold 7-10yrs for marsanne’s stage two revival. — a year ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured, enjoyed over the course of a couple of hours. The 2017 pours a deep ruby/purple color with a transparent core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with drop-dead gorgeous notes of mixed bramble fruit, fresh blueberries, freshly cracked black pepper, purple flowers, spiced and grilled kofta, dried green herbs and hot asphalt after a rain. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. This is a beautiful wine and one of the best New World Syrah’s I’ve had. If Tynan’s “Judge Family” is to Hermitage, The Joy Fantastic’s is to Saint -Joseph. Stunning. Drink now through 2032 — 2 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Brought to Tasting Group, popped and poured, and then served double-blind to the group. In the glass, the wine pours a transparent ruby color, with no signs of sediment. Medium+ viscosity with significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is redolent of dark fruits, black pepper, olives, olives, and olives with some purple flowers and gravelly minerals added to the mix. On the palate, confirming the fruit and non-fruit characteristics. The wine is bone dry with medium tannins and medium+ acid. Due to the non-fruit characteristics, it is very difficult to place this in the New World, although there are some new producers, making wine similar to this. That being said, it’s hard to get outside of the Northern Rhône, vacillating between Côte Rôtie, Cornas, and Saint Joseph (no one in the group felt the oak was lavish enough for Hermitage). There were good arguments for each…and then the reveal. What a joy to drink this. Too bad even the “Les Iles Feray” has become near unobtainium. If someone wants to experience what Northern Rhône Syrah is supposed to taste like, this would be a contender for Exhibit A. The 2019 “Les Iles Feray” will be enjoyable for many years but I think this should be enjoyed in its youth. Drink now or over the next 5-10 years. — 4 years ago

Will Stanley

9.5

What a wine! This Saint-Joseph from Domaine Courbis, from the limestone amphitheatre they call ‘Les Royes’ within the appellation (look out for the Blanc, too), is a great success in 2016 and an incredibly moreish wine overall.

The nose takes little time to unfurl, showing generous aromas of fresh, cool blackberry, espresso, violet and a touch of iron. The fruit has a wonderfully pure feel - as though it’s been squeezed straight into the glass. The palate is equally forthcoming and way above what I expected. Ripe fruit combines with bold acidity and supple tannins to provide a very, very seductive mouthfeel, and a lengthy finish.

That vast appellation of Saint-Joseph can be very variable - but if they were all this good, it would stand shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Cornas, Cote-Rotie and Hermitage. — 4 years ago

Tobin Spratte

9.0

Not as rich as the Hermitage, but still very good. Floral aromas, orchard fruit, minerals. Nice weight and finish. — 6 months ago

J. B. Rainsberger

9.2

Fruity without being sweet. Elevated without being too much. — 8 months ago

with Sarah

Stefan Dolhain

9.1

2023 vintage. A delicious uncomplicated Syrah, with lovely purity. — 9 months ago

Seth Masterson

9.3

This has to be one of the most refined and finessed sangiovese I've tried. Think Hermitage or Saint Joseph levels of refinement and balance. — 2 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

E Guigal produces fine Rhône wines. Dark Ruby color with aromas of berry fruit and earthy spice. On the palate flavors of black cherry and blackberry with cedar, cacao and earth notes, vivid acidity nice structure. Fine tannins, long finish ending with fruit and spice character. Good now will cellar well, a bargain compared to its Hermitage neighbors. — 2 years ago

K. Syrah

9.3

2015: Rich and concentrated Syrah with a mouthful of minerals and leather and meaty flavors. Not quite as funky as Cote-Rotie but still complex, with a long and unique finish. Legit: I like this more than the Jaboulet Maison Bleu Hermitage at this stage. $60 at VR. — 4 years ago

J B

9.0

Le mere Poulard - Mont Saint Michel. Scallop omelette and poulet supreme. Very good paring. Enjoyed very much. — 4 years ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

Really nice and a great value. Got that classic earthy, barky thing I like in Crozes — a little sluttier with the type of earthiness than, say, Saint-Joseph — along with ultra pure essence of blackberry, a very lifted almost-but-not-quite eucalyptus note. Round-textured and fairly concentrated for a basic Crozes, with lots of savory flavors and a long finish. There’s a lifted quality to the palate that is very attractive. Drinks well above its weight. — 4 years ago