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 historic 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: single-vineyard, single-varietal, and produced annually, they are above all a reflection of the terroir, in its best aspects as well as, at times, its excesses.

Decanter

About the wine:

The nose is very spicy, with elegant oak notes framing the pineapple aromas. It is quite full-bodied, certainly flavorful, but not heavy, as it retains a lively character, a touch of minerality, and great drinkability. So, overall, it’s a rather clever wine. Very well-balanced for a hot vintage, it possesses the intensity of a hot vintage, but without excess richness or 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 in the 1990s, offers a wide range of wines produced from its own vineyards (345 hectares, 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 Maison M. Chapoutier label, we feature wines from the wine merchant division of this two-century-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 compelling, others, on the other hand, are far more run-of-the-mill. This inconsistency leads us to remove the star from the house this year.

Wine Spectator

About the wine:

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

Jancis Robinson

About the wine:

The nose is slightly subdued, clean, and fresh, with notes of toasted almonds. On the palate, there are hints of ripeness, apple peel, and a touch of toasted nuts. There are also fresh and spicy notes. It has good acidity, is well-balanced—and has good body—with a slight tingle on the finish.

James Suckling

About the wine:

The nose is very fresh and delicate for such a hot, 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, medium-bodied, with a pronounced stony character on the finish. From the vineyards of Tournon and Mauves, with a mix of granitic and sedimentary soils. Made from organically grown grapes. Ready to drink or for aging.

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 into a medium-bodied white that 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 that will age well for 5 to 7 years.