Hints of struck flint, clove and cinnamon accent pineapple and melon notes on the nose of the 2020 Saint Joseph Silice Blanc,
an unoaked Marsanne. This is a medium to full-bodied, richly textured beauty that combines ample ripe fruit with hints of spicy complexity and underscores those attributes with a long, focused and refreshing finish. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.
Harvest was underway when I arrived at this family domaine, located on the marketplace in Mauves. Jerôme Coursodon, who looks after the winery, had his fingers crossed that rain would hold off for another week; while they had harvested the whites, he was hoping that the reds would ripen a bit more. One of the reference points in Saint Joseph, the Coursodon wines are marked by purity, ripeness and in the top cuvées, oak. In recent years, Coursodon said, "The challenge has been to make wine that is not too rich [or] too heavy but balanced and drinkable." Fans of density and power will find much to like in the 2019s here, while the 2020s are perhaps more classically styled. "I find 2019 and 2020 a bit like 2009 and 2010," said Coursodon. "The [200]9s are ripe, rich, even a bit heavy, while the [200]0s are more vibrant and have more energy."