The 2004 St.-Joseph Francois de Tournon has a dark ruby color and notes of damp earth intermixed with sweet cherry, raspberry, and old barriques notes. It is elegant, ripe, with some minerality and a floral note as well as crisp acidity. This seems to build incrementally in the mouth, and has some tannins to shed in the finish. Give this wine 1-2 years of bottle age, and drink it over the following 10-15. The very talented Burgundian Jacques Granges continues to build on the success he has had at Delas Freres. He, along with the new owners, the Deutz-Roederer Champagne empire (they recently acquired Pichon-Lalande in Pauillac as well), have been responsible for the resurrection of Delas from a so-so negociant to one of the better sources of top-quality Rhones. And this has been done in less than a decade. 2004 is a classic vintage of structure and good balance, but too often lacking concentration. The 2005s are much more concentrated but also structured, tannic, and backward. Importer: Maison Marques et Domaines, Oakland, CA; tel. (510) 587-2000