Domaine Courbis 2017 Saint-Joseph Rouge 750ml
The 2017 Saint Joseph is a big, plump, downright sexy barrel sample that’s a great example of the vintage. Blueberries, blackberries, violets, spice, and hints of spring flowers all emerge from this beauty, which is ripe, layered, and weightless on the palate. It's going to drink beautifully right out of the gate.
Score: 91-93 points -- Jeb Dunnock, jebdunnock.com, 2018
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Domaine Courbis’ modern, gravity-fed winery is located in the commune of Chateaubourg on the right bank of the Rhone, where the Isere river flows in from the east. This is the most southerly section of the St. Joseph AOC, with Cornas AOC next door. Brothers Laurent and Dominique oversee the Domaine’s 33 hectares of vineyard holdings, including some of the most highly regarded sites in Cornas. Fermentation is in sealed, temperature regulated steel vats and concrete tanks to produce the robust, fruit-forward, and polished style that characterizes Courbis wines; maturation is in oak barrels, with new wood reserved only for the top cuvees.