2011 TOP 25: RANK #1
Our Wine of the Year comes from the St. Joseph Appellation in the Northern Rhone Valley, an area in the shadows of its big name neighbors like Cote-Rotie and Hermitage. Members of the Chapoutier family have been working in the Rhone Valley since 1808. Today, Maison M. Chapoutier is a world renowned producer of top flight Rhone wines, his Cote-Rotie and Hermitage are considered by many as his flagship wines. However, after tasting the 2006 St. Joseph Les Granits we think this is a wine that can easily stand proudly along side any of Chapoutier's best wines. We are proud to call the 2006 M. Chapoutier St. Joseph Les Granits our wine of the year for 2011.
The 2006 Les Granits is a a gorgeous wine with a beautiful balance between power and elegance. Built around dark fruits, fresh figs, flowers, wet earth, mineral, and game notes all backed by a rock solid structure and a finish that goes on and on. Hard to find a flaw in this beauty. 100% Syrah, entirely aged in casks from 16 to 18 months. (Drink 2011 - 2028)