One of the cult classic wines in the Fass Selections portfolio has to be the brilliant and stunning St. Josephs of Mikael Desestret of the eponymous Domaine de la Cote Epine. I still count my lucky stars I have been able to work with Mikael for 3 vintages now as these are some of the most special wines in the book and my serious value in the Northern Rhone amongst the sexier appellations. As a side note it is amazing progress that we can rightfully call St. Joseph "sexy" today right next to Cote-Rotie, Cornas and Hermitage and nothing makes me happier than seeing an appellation maligned for so long get some shine.Today I am thrilled to offer the 2014 Domaine de St. Epine St. Joseph Rouge Vieilles Vignes for as little as $24.99 per bottle on the 4-pack.
This wine is incredibly unique for three reasons:
1) While it has lovely Syrah fruit, it is incredibly elegant and more finesse-driven. Very stylish wines.
2) it is under $25 which is an incredibly low price for the highly popular St. Joseph AOC (thank you direct from the winery model - these would be $35-$40 through 3 tier).
3) The winery has vines from the famed and currently non-existent cult St. Joseph producer Raymond Trollat. Some of Mikael's vines are up to 130 years old.
This wine is an absolute stunner. For those of you who think that wines from St. Joseph are "rustic," this wine will reset your expectations. Yes, it has dark Syrah fruits. But they are perfectly framed with balancing acidity and the minerality really shines through. There are lovely aromatics and notes of lavendar to go with the traditional hint of Syrah gaminess. This wine is drinking well now but will reward medium term age (5-7 years).
Please Do Not Skip Reading About the White.
The companion white is the 2014 Domaine de la Côte de la Epine St. Joseph Blanc, which can be had for as little as $23.99 a 4-pack. This is NOT like any other young Northern Rhone white you have ever had. I've served this to several people who HATE Northern Rhone Whites because they are too fruity, honeyish and lacking in acid - they've all loved this. It is a really terrific wine - more about balance, freshness and soaring floral aromatics than fruit (even though, it obviously has terrific fruit). It has brightness that comes from acid balance. The finesse is wonderful and with the very nice crisp acids of 2014 this is outstanding wine and an outrageous value. The freshness, minerality and just plain depth of this wine is incredible. This was a big surprise when I tasted it and might be the best white Rhone secret value in my portfolio. It gets better open in the bottle over 2-4 days.
My last visit was high up in the nestled hills of St. Epine with Mikael who might have one of the most gorgeous views outside his winery of any of my growers. Just a slamming view of Hermitage and the Rhone River. Truly took my breath away. I really got to know Mikael this time around and my translator, the great Marc Lemiere, was there and we chatted for hours. I learned so much, but most of all I learned these wines can age much longer than you think as Mikael opened a 2001 Blanc that was absolutely stunning. He also opened some 2001 Rouge, and 1998 Rouge that just were drinking beautifully. What a great deal on such stylish wines that you can drink now and will age. The structure, particularly, is unique in that it is stacked yet so fine and elegant. I haven't found that in many St. Joseph's at all. The 2014 with its stylish and friendly fruit yet backed up by the wines always serious structure, makes this one wine I reach for more often than not, but when I reach, none is there, because you all buy it up, which attests to its popularity. The 2014 has really developed nicely since I tasted the components out of barrel in late February. I think it will drink well early yet age for 10-12 years.
So how did I meet this genius? As I was wandering along the Salon des Vins this past February in Tain l'Hermitage, I happened upon a table where there was a young man pouring St. Joseph red and white, and what caught my eye was that the label said St. Joseph from Domaine de la Cote St. Epine. One of my favorite winemakers, Herve Souhaut, made St. Epine. I tasted two wines; one red and one white. The winemaker's name was Mikael Desestret and his wines were utterly brilliant. The best St. Joseph's I tasted at the Salon and there was serious competition (I have added some of that competition to my portfolio). But these St. Joseph's tasted special to me. They had that extra length, extra finesse, extra expressiveness that only the best wines have. Two of his six hectares are from the revered and famous/cult St. Joseph producer Raymond Trollat (see The New York Times Eric Asimov's article on Trollat here).
Mikael studied winemaking in Beaune and graduated in 1996. His family has owned most of his vineyards for over 100 years, (some of them are 130 years old!) and he convinced them to start bottling their own wine as opposed to selling in bulk (to Delas Frères). When he has to replant some vines the young vine juice (less then 10 years old) is sold off to a negociant.
The wines have gained in popularity but Michael has not raised prices (yet), hence their low price. Quality is very important here as is attention to detail; Mikael is proud of his family's terroir and wants it to shine though. He initially had 4 hectares and then took over 2 hectares from the revered and famous/cult St. Joseph producer Raymond Trollat. The rest of Trollat's vines went to the Gonon brothers. That is some exquisite and singular terroir Mikael got as Trollat was the Chave/DRC/Vega Sicilia of St. Joseph and his wines are impossible to find. They are the cultiest of the traditional Northern Rhone guys like Verset and Gentaz-Dervieux. I've seen one bottle in my life. That client I know is reading this.
2014 Domaine de la St. Cote Epine St. Joseph Rouge Vieilles Vignes - $27.99 ($99.96 4-pack) (LIMITED)
2014 Domaine de la St. Cote Epine St Joseph Blanc - $26.99
($95.96 4-pack) (LIMITED)
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