2010 Delas Francois de Tournon (Saint Joseph)
96 points - Wine Advocate
A blockbuster effort that performed significantly better than it did last year when it was exhibiting some reduction is the 2010 St.-Joseph Francois de Tournon. This wine, which was so tight and difficult to evaluate last year, is brilliant. A dense purple color is followed by notes of graphite, pen ink, blackberries and blueberries, and hints of raspberries, smoke and subtle oak. This full-bodied, classic, monumental St.-Joseph was aged completely in small barrels. The good news is that 1,500 cases are just hitting the market. My instincts suggest 1-2 years of bottle age will be beneficial, and it is capable of lasting 15 or more years. Don't miss it!
About Saint-Jospeh:
The ancient vineyards of Saint-Joseph, planted almost exclusively with Syrah, cover more than 600 acres on the right bank of the Rhône river. The vineyard stretches from Chavanay in the north, to Guilherand in the south – it covers 23 "communes" in the Ardèche region, and three in the Loire. The grapes are planted in terraces on the rocky granite hillsides, where Delas selects only the best grapes for this cuvée. The "Francois de Tournon" is a blend of grapes from the terroirs of Vion, Saint-Jean de Muzols, Mauves and Tournon.
96 points - Wine Advocate
A blockbuster effort that performed significantly better than it did last year when it was exhibiting some reduction is the 2010 St.-Joseph Francois de Tournon. This wine, which was so tight and difficult to evaluate last year, is brilliant. A dense purple color is followed by notes of graphite, pen ink, blackberries and blueberries, and hints of raspberries, smoke and subtle oak. This full-bodied, classic, monumental St.-Joseph was aged completely in small barrels. The good news is that 1,500 cases are just hitting the market. My instincts suggest 1-2 years of bottle age will be beneficial, and it is capable of lasting 15 or more years. Don't miss it!
About Saint-Jospeh:
The ancient vineyards of Saint-Joseph, planted almost exclusively with Syrah, cover more than 600 acres on the right bank of the Rhône river. The vineyard stretches from Chavanay in the north, to Guilherand in the south – it covers 23 "communes" in the Ardèche region, and three in the Loire. The grapes are planted in terraces on the rocky granite hillsides, where Delas selects only the best grapes for this cuvée. The "Francois de Tournon" is a blend of grapes from the terroirs of Vion, Saint-Jean de Muzols, Mauves and Tournon.
96 points - Wine Advocate
A blockbuster effort that performed significantly better than it did last year when it was exhibiting some reduction is the 2010 St.-Joseph Francois de Tournon. This wine, which was so tight and difficult to evaluate last year, is brilliant. A dense purple color is followed by notes of graphite, pen ink, blackberries and blueberries, and hints of raspberries, smoke and subtle oak. This full-bodied, classic, monumental St.-Joseph was aged completely in small barrels. The good news is that 1,500 cases are just hitting the market. My instincts suggest 1-2 years of bottle age will be beneficial, and it is capable of lasting 15 or more years. Don't miss it!
About Saint-Jospeh:
The ancient vineyards of Saint-Joseph, planted almost exclusively with Syrah, cover more than 600 acres on the right bank of the Rhône river. The vineyard stretches from Chavanay in the north, to Guilherand in the south – it covers 23 "communes" in the Ardèche region, and three in the Loire. The grapes are planted in terraces on the rocky granite hillsides, where Delas selects only the best grapes for this cuvée. The "Francois de Tournon" is a blend of grapes from the terroirs of Vion, Saint-Jean de Muzols, Mauves and Tournon.
