M. Chapoutier - Saint-Joseph Les Granilites blanc 2022

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

Michel Chapoutier is now ably supported by his children, Mathilde and Maxime, in running the largest wine house in the Northern Rhône, a long-standing specialist in Hermitage and Crozes-Hermitage. Chapoutier is, on the one hand, a major wine merchant, but also produces top-tier estate wines, with the estate’s vineyards having long been cultivated using biodynamic methods. The single-vineyard selections—the top of the range—perfectly reflect the owner’s philosophy: produced from specific plots, made from a single grape variety, and released annually, they are above all a reflection of the terroir, showcasing both its best qualities and, at times, its extremes.

Decanter

About the wine:

A very spicy nose, with elegant oak notes that frame the pineapple aromas. It’s fairly full-bodied, certainly flavorful, but not heavy, as it retains liveliness, a touch of salinity, and drinkability. So, overall, it’s a rather sophisticated wine. Very well-balanced for a hot vintage, it possesses the intensity of a hot vintage without being overly rich or high in alcohol. Charming. Fermented in demi-muids and aged 25% in barrels.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

This venerable (19th-century) and leading winery, propelled onto the international stage by Michel Chapoutier beginning in the 1990s, offers a wide range of wines produced from its own vineyards (345 ha, cultivated biodynamically) or from purchased grapes, across most of the Rhône Valley’s flagship appellations, as well as in Roussillon and Alsace. His children, Mathilde and Maxime, have recently joined the family business.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

Under the name Maison M. Chapoutier, we feature wines from the wine trading division of this 200-year-old institution based in Tain-l'Hermitage. Michel Chapoutier, now joined by his daughter Mathilde, offers a very wide range of Rhône appellations here, with a production volume approaching one million bottles. But the Chapoutier name is also present in other regions (Champagne, Alsace, Languedoc, and even Australia), a testament to this family’s dynamism. While some vintages are impressive, others, on the other hand, are far more run-of-the-mill. This inconsistency has led us to remove the star from the estate this year.

Wine Spectator

About the wine:

A lovely, fragrant white wine—floral and smoky—with notes of honeysuckle and citrus zest that blend with aromas of apple and creamy melon on a full-bodied palate. Spicy notes, white mocha, and ginger add depth to this refined palate, with a hint of honey in the long, salty, and mineral-driven finish. Pairs well with pastries. Delicious. Enjoy now through 2028.

Jancis Robinson

About the wine:

Slightly subdued on the nose, clean and fresh, with hints of toasted almonds. On the palate, it offers a sense of ripeness, apple peel, and a note of toasted nuts. There are also fresh and spicy notes. Good freshness, well-balanced—and with good body—and a slight tingle on the finish.

James Suckling

About the wine:

The nose is very fresh and delicate for such a hot and dry vintage, but with a little aeration, a lovely aroma of lemon curd develops, followed—with a bit more aeration—by a hint of caramel. The palate is concentrated and medium-bodied, with a pronounced stony character on the finish. Sourced from the vineyards of Tournon and Mauves, with a mix of granitic and sedimentary soils. Made from organically grown grapes. Enjoy now or celller.

Jeb Dunnuck

About the wine:

The 2022 Saint Joseph Les Granilites Blanc has clearly improved and displays beautiful richness and great depth. Quince, orange blossom, and spicy notes blend harmoniously in this medium-bodied white wine, which is round, supple, and well-balanced, with well-integrated acidity, good depth on the mid-palate, and exceptional length. It is a lovely, pure, and elegant white wine that will continue to develop for 5 to 7 years.