Gilles Robin’s Saint-Joseph vineyard lies at a high altitude on steep granite slopes with excellent southeast exposure. The vines were planted in the 1960’s, so have the age to express considerable purity of Syrah. The wine is a saturated ruby-purple color giving indication to the intensity of the wine. This intensity is allied to precision and finesse to create an impressive wine. Prototypical Syrah aromas leap from the glass. High-toned cracked black pepper and mineral, violets, ripe cassis, blackberry, cherry, and an olive undertone are all present. The structure is big from gripping tannins and linear acidity, but the wine retains finesse throughout.
Domaine Gilles Robin, Saint-Joseph (Rhône Valley, France) 2010
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