Saint Joseph Granilites, Maison M. Chapoutier 2020

Leading off the Saint Josephs, the 2020 Saint Joseph Les Granilites is brilliant and even has some upside. Black cherries, cassis, violets, and peppery, gamey nuances give way to a medium to full-bodied, balanced 2020 that's going to benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and drink fabulously well through 2035. It shows the richer, concentrated style of the vintage yet stays fresh and lively. This cuvée was all destemmed and was brought up in equal parts concrete tanks and used demi-muids. It might be the finest vintage I've tasted.