Chapoutier St Joseph Le Clos 2017 (750ML)

96-98 WA

Despite Michel Chapoutier's cheerleading for this wine ("for me, that should be 100 points"), I found it to lack some of the finesse of his single-parcel wines from Hermitage. That's not to say the 2017 Saint-Joseph Le Clos isn't extremely impressive. From its aromatic expression of crushed stone, cracked pepper and ripe cassis to its ample weight, huge concentration and powerful tannins in the mouth, there's a lot to love about this wine. Add licorice and espresso notes on the lengthy finish, and there's no question it's great—the question is just how great is it? - Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate