Still in barrels at the time of my visit, the 2020 Saint Joseph offers promising notes of black cherries, asphalt and black olives on the nose. It's medium to full-bodied, supple and ripe, with a long, silky-textured finish.

Tasted from tank and as a prepared sample, the 2018 Saint Joseph is a wonderfully effusive, juicy mouthful of wine. Modest spice notes join bold cherry-berry flavors in this medium to full-bodied effort that should drink well for at least 5-6 years. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.

The juicy, fruit-forward 2017 Saint Joseph is a tasty mouthful of Syrah. Aged in older barrels, it offers up masses of ripe cherries, tinged with just a bit of black olive. It's medium to full-bodied, velvety and even close to silky on the finish. Drink it over the next 4-5 years.

Courbis’ 2016 Saint Joseph is supple, silky in texture and easy to drink, even as a barrel sample. Cola, spice, black cherries and a bit of tar give it plenty of flavor and character in an early-drinking style.

Leading off the St Josephs and I'm sure the best vintage of this cuvée to date, the inky-colored 2015 Saint Joseph (100% Syrah aged mostly in older barrels) offers gorgeous notes of smoked black fruits, violets, lavender and chocolate in a rich, full-bodied, rounded and sexy style. It has present tannin, but more than enough fruit, and will keep for a decade or more.