Lavished in vanilla, the creamy, hedonistic 2019 Saint Joseph layers that with ripe cherries to make a delectable, easy-drinking wine. It's medium to full-bodied, lush and rich, with a long, velvety finish. I realize the oak may put off some traditionalists, but this appears to have excellent underlying material and is worth following.

Gripa's 2017 Saint Joseph is simply plush, fruity and delicious. How can one not be captivated by its swirls of cherries and blueberries, made savory by the addition of black olives and licorice? It's full-bodied, rich and velvety, with the concentration and length to age for close to a decade.

After some stellar whites, I admit being disappointed by Gripa's 2015 Saint Joseph. It's still a very good wine, but coming from granite slopes around Mauve and Tournon, it shows more winemaking than terroir. Vanilla and mocha notes speak of the oak, while stemmy-green notes speak to a chunk of whole-bunch fermentation. Those make it hard to find the tart, tangy red fruit in this medium to full-bodied wine.

I continue to love the reds from this estate and the 2014 Saint Joseph is another beautiful wine that excels in the vintage. Blackberries, currants, peppery herbs and hints of minerality all emerge from this medium-bodied St Joseph. It's impeccably balanced, has solid mid-palate depth and a great finish. Drink it anytime over the coming decade. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to taste the 2015s from Fabrice, but will report on these from bottle next year.

While I wasn’t able to taste any 2014 reds, both of the 2013s showed beautifully. The 2013 Saint Joseph offers lots of pepper, cured meats, olive and dark fruits in a medium to full-bodied, impressively concentrated, broad and expansive feel on the palate. It’s not a blockbuster, but makes the most of the vintage.