One of Chapoutier’s sexiest offerings is the St.-Joseph Les Granits, a luxury cuvee produced from hillside granite soils near the village of Mauves (the home of renowned northern Rhone wine producers, Jean-Louis and Gerard Chave). The 2000 boasts a deep ruby/purple color in addition to a sweet perfume of figs, black cherry liqueur, cassis, and smoke. Medium to full-bodied, ripe, fruity, and seductive, with low acidity, sweet tannin, and lavish fleshiness, it can be consumed now and over the next 10-12 years. These uncompromising offerings from a young genius are not meant for consumers who want something to drink immediately. They are the essence of bio-dynamically farmed vineyard sites cropped incredibly low, given extended fermentations with indigenous yeasts, and rarely touched until they go into the bottle unfined and unfiltered. In most vintages, the wines are not even racked off their lees, which only adds to their natural style. These are truly remarkable wines, but for most readers, patience is the operative rule as they generally need a good 8-10 years to strut their stuff.Once moribund, over the last 12 years, this firm has become one of the reference points for nearly all the Rhone Valley appellations since the brash yet immensely talented Michel Chapoutier took over in the late eighties. The single vineyard offerings are as good as Rhone Valley wines can be. Moreover, Chapoutier continues to upgrade the quality of those wines offered in more significant quantities than the 500 or so cases each of the single vineyard offerings.Importer: Paterno Imports, Lake Bluff, IL; tel. (847) 604-8900

One of Chapoutier’s sexiest offerings is the St.-Joseph Les Granits, a luxury cuvee produced from hillside granite soils near the village of Mauves (the home of renowned northern Rhone wine producers, Jean-Louis and Gerard Chave). The 2000 boasts a deep ruby/purple color in addition to a sweet perfume of figs, black cherry liqueur, cassis, and smoke. Medium to full-bodied, ripe, fruity, and seductive, with low acidity, sweet tannin, and lavish fleshiness, it can be consumed now and over the next 10-12 years. These uncompromising offerings from a young genius are not meant for consumers who want something to drink immediately. They are the essence of bio-dynamically farmed vineyard sites cropped incredibly low, given extended fermentations with indigenous yeasts, and rarely touched until they go into the bottle unfined and unfiltered. In most vintages, the wines are not even racked off their lees, which only adds to their natural style. These are truly remarkable wines, but for most readers, patience is the operative rule as they generally need a good 8-10 years to strut their stuff. Once moribund, over the last 12 years, this firm has become one of the reference points for nearly all the Rhone Valley appellations since the brash yet immensely talented Michel Chapoutier took over in the late eighties. The single vineyard offerings are as good as Rhone Valley wines can be. Moreover, Chapoutier continues to upgrade the quality of those wines offered in more significant quantities than the 500 or so cases each of the single vineyard offerings. Importer: Paterno Imports, Lake Bluff, IL; tel. (847) 604-8900

One reviewer calls it subtle and another calls it big-boned, and really, Les Granites is a bit of both. Its dusty, chalky tannins make for a glorious mouthfeel; underneath, there’s a host of juicy berry flavors that grip the midpalate and linger long on the finish. Closes with ripe tannins, and some espresso and black pepper. ——W.E.(9/1/2003)—— 94

Seemingly at its peak of maturity, although it should stay there for several years, this is a masterful Saint-Joseph, showing great complexity (flowers, pepper, smoke, cherries), ripe fruit and satin-textured tannins. Drink now-2012.——J.C.(11/15/2006)—— 92