Saint Joseph Les Sabots de Coppi, Domaine de L'Iserand (J-F Malsert) 2020

This Saint Joseph from Malsert is an exciting find from the brilliant 2020 vintage. Vivid purple colour with a nose that can only be whole-bunch northern Rhône Syrah, it jumps from the glass with wild berries, black pepper, violets and just a hint of dried steak. The palate is effortless, glossy on entry but quickly finding a light grip from chalky tannins, the fruit seamlessly builds through the mid palate. Waves of freshly ground black pepper, rosemary, blueberries and cured meat are delicious and perfectly balanced. The acidity is bright, lining the palate as you would both want and expect in Saint Joseph, but there are guts and depth to the wine too. Supple and vibrant in equal measure, you can drink this now and enjoy it greatly, but I expect it to improve over the coming 8-10 years.