Durand 2017 St. Joseph "Lautaret" Rouge 750ml

The top Saint Joseph, the 2017 Saint Joseph Lautaret comes from older vines from the southern part of the appellation (near the village of Châteaubourg) and was brought up in 15% new French oak. It has a juicy, fresh, yet concentrated style to go with vivid dark berry fruits, crushed rock, graphite, and ground pepper notes. This terrific wine will benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for over a decade.

Score: 92+ points -- Jen Dunnock, jebdunnock.com, 2019

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Domaine Durand’s winery is located in Chateaubourg, just across the D86 highway from Domaine Courbis. Brothers Eric and Joel Durand, who have run the Domaine since 1996, produce wines from Cornas, St. Joseph, and St. Péray, as well as a white IGP. The wines are fruit-driven, rich, and more approachable when young than many reds from the Northern Rhone, though they will also age beautifully.