2020 Francois Villard “Poivre et Sol,” Saint Joseph, Northern Rhône, France

This is Francois Villard’s Saint Joseph bottling and delivers typicity combined with remarkable complexity. Glass-staining ruby. Ripe black and blue fruits, candied violet, bacon and cracked pepper. Shows very good depth as well as energy, offering appealingly sweet cherry, blueberry, spice cake and floral pastille flavors that take on olive and woodsmoke nuances with air. Shows excellent clarity and spicy cut on the impressively long, gently tannic finish, which leaves repeating floral and spice notes behind.