Saint Clair Saint-Joseph 2015

Denis Basset is a young winemaker based in Crozes-Hermitage, recently included by Decanter and the Guide Hachette in a dynamic new generation of Crozes-Hermitage winemakers. His plot in Saint-Joseph covers less than an acre, and bears the name Abimes de l?Enfer (the ?Abyss of Hell?) for its vertiginous slope.

Basset calls it his garden: a minuscule plot producing only 200 cases per year. It?s always one of our favorite cuv?es from him, but in the near-perfect 2015 vintage it?s nothing short of extraordinary. The nose shows spices, violets and intense black pepper; the mouth shows blackberry jam with notes of roasted meat, licorice, and toast. The flavors are intense and distilled, a wine of remarkable complexity packaged into a sleek, sophisticated core. At only 13% alcohol it?s mouthfilling and chewy, but without an ounce of heaviness.