Sylvain Gauthier started out selling great wines for the cost of everyday wines. And he's been very successful. But he's decided to make two cuvees that really allow him to strut his stuff. There are no Grand or Premier Crus in the Rhone but those in the know, know the great vineyards and these wines are made from two incredible vineyards allowing young Sylvain to show what he can do with elite material. The prices are still well in the middle of the range for St. Joseph for two wines that are in the elite tier. I tasted these all the way back in March 2016 and have been patiently waiting to offer both of these wines. And I kept tasting and re-tasting both wines because I was shocked at how high the quality was.
Sylvain has secured an East Coast Importer and for that we are thrilled. The bad news is that he's not going to be an unknown (with super low prices) for long. The good news is that you can buy his wines today for "before they were famous" prices.
First up is Sylvain's magnum opus, the 2014 Domaine de Pierres Seches St. Joseph "St. Epine," for as little as $34.99 on a 4-pack. This is from the oldest vines that average 75+ years. St. Epine is a very steep part of St. Joseph with poor, granitic soils and is considered some of, if not the best terroir, in St. Joseph. Luminous estates such as Gonon, Domajne de la Côte de Epine, Domaine Habrard and Herve Souhaut are some of the unicorn names who make wines from these steep craggy hills. I walked these slopes this past Marc and they are barren, cruel and it's amazing vines can grow here at all. But the struggle of the vine is perfectly illustrated here. The wines for me have a different, more red fruit expression than some of the other areas of St. Joseph. But one thing I know for sure is that this St. Epine from Sylvain Gauthier is one of the best wines he has ever made and I have one client with discerning taste who has done multiple blind tastings with the regular St. Joseph with all the big boys like Chave, Gonon and Gripa and it always places first or amongst the top 3. The nose just explodes out of the glass with red berry fruit, leather, herbs de Provence, some garrigue, smoke, sizzling bacon and tons of earthy, craggy granitic minerality. Just a stunning nose and noble aromas. I told Sylvain, that I've always loved your wines but I did not think you had it in you to make a wine with such noble aromas. He really just hit it out of the park. The palate is terrific and very accessible for such a young wine from St. Epine, but that is what also makes Gauthier special, his wines generally are always accessible from the get go but will age remarkably well. This will age 10-15 years. It has so much unbelievable juicy, ripe granite infused fruit you cannot believe it. It is soft, yet layered and incredibly complex. This was one sappy, tasty, characterful wine. The fruit/granite combo is striking. It is so crackling, vibrant and fresh yet with such intense soil character that it really tows the line between fruit bomb and soil driven wine. It is remarkable. Tarry, intense long finish. Herbs resonate aromatically and on the incredibly distinctive nose. Hits the garrigue, black olive tapenade notes like an old pro, while also having terrific acidity and such finesse. This wine glides around your palate, swiveling and swirling and hitting every nook and cranny. What is remarkable to me about this wine, and to probably no one else is the leap that Sylvain took in 14 to make such a wine. I love his other wines, but he busted out with this wine and the next wine. This is one of the top St. Joseph wines from 2014 that I will sell. It can be drunk young as I said before but it will reward cellaring.
Next up I have the debut vintage of the 2015 Domaine des Pierres Seches St. Joseph Blanc, ($29.99 each on 4) which is 100% Roussanne and as many of you know this is a category I have been screaming about from the rooftops as it is neglected category and offers a great alternative to white burg and Riesling. This is the first white I have ever sold from Sylvain, but not from a lack of trying as his IGP Roussanne gets scarfed up by French people in the know. Maybe the best under $20 pure Roussanne in the world. The 2015 St. Joseph Blanc is also from the steep craggy cliffs of St. Epine and also contains a considerable amount of old vines. White St. Epine is very rare. This is more by the river and gets more breezy. Not much but a bit more and a little wind can change things for the better. 2015 for Northern Rhone whites takes the best attributes of '13 (richness, power, concentration) and of '14 (acid, freshness and finesse) and adds some of the dramatic length and depth of '15. '15 I might like the best of the 3 vintages as they are just unreal wines with tension, purity, richness and depth. The '15 aromas are nuts and it starts with aromas of anise, herbs, even fresh baked bread, granite and is very wafting. The palate is insane and I'll use that word over and over again because that is 15 Northern Rhone. It has incredible richness, flavors of honeysuckle, peach, pineapple, apricot, yet all on a background of granitic minerality. It is so ridiculously complex. There are nutty and herbal elements that give to terrific impression of freshness and depth. If there is one thing in 15, the wines all taste fresh yet still have the nuclear levels of fruit which is what 15 will go down in history for. This has a finish that does not quit. Just goes on and on and on. Waves into and becomes a part of your palate. It's a genius wine. It will drink well over the next 15 years.
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