Scents of crushed stone, violets, black cherries and mocha mark the nose of the 2019 Saint Joseph le Paradis Saint Pierre. While it's super ripe and concentrated, this full-bodied effort also boasts reasonably supple tannins and a gently expansive mouthfeel, culminating in a long, softly tannic finish. Give it another few years in the cellar if you have the patience, and you should be rewarded. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.

Half of the 2018 Saint Joseph le Paradis Saint Pierre was fermented as whole clusters, and there's a distinct minty, stemmy character there if you look for it, but there's also plenty of black cherry, espresso, black olive, dark chocolate and black licorice to provide balance and richness. Full-bodied and velvety on the palate, it finishes long and savory. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.

The distinctive 2017 Saint Joseph le Paradis Saint Pierre combines hints of green peppercorns, raspberries, plum and crushed-stone austerity on the nose, yet it is full-bodied, creamy and plush on the palate. Intense and spicy, it finishes long, with hints of salted licorice on the finish that bring structure to a wine that verges on sur maturité. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.

I confess to a bit of disappointment in the 2016 Saint Joseph le Paradis Saint Pierre, which I rated (93 - 95) last year from barrel. It's still a terrific wine, with attractive notes of cracked pepper, red berries and black olive, ample weight and concentration on the palate and a rich, velvety mouthfeel. It just seems a bit earthy and slightly lacking energy on the espresso-tinged finish.