Domaine François Merlin
2011 Saint-Joseph
This is a robust Saint Joseph, strong and firm, particularly when compared to Pichon’s Saint Joseph. We advise giving it a little time in the cellar before drinking.
An easy-drinking, cool climate Syrah with tangy raspberry notes and good balance. Slight charcoal aromas on the nose, but raspberry is the key player. A nice wine to have on hand to serve with grilled lamb or other meat.
Food pairing: Lamb kebobs
Blood, roasted meat, tapenade, black truffles, coffee grounds, pepper and other savory spices, boysenberry and other dark fruits, and something earthy combine to create a complex, evolving nose. Full-bodied, with slightly jammy blueberry and other dark fruit flavors, this wine coats the mouth with violets, pungent spice, and gamey, meaty flavors. Massive structure with a lengthy, fruity finish that builds in intensity then recedes, leaving concentrated blue and black fruit flavors lingering. A baby, but already stunning! A wine possibly at peak in 2019. Calls out for wild boar or other game.
Food pairing: Game or wild boar
The Creator of This Wine
Domaine François Merlin
Heir not to a winemaker but to a chemical engineer, François Merlin studied agriculture and learned the work of the vines in the vineyards of René Rostaing. He planted his first vineyard -- in Condrieu -- in 1987, started making his own wines in 1999, and quickly became one of the “top names” in Condrieu (according to Rhône expert Livingstone-Learmonth). His son Laurent joined him in 2013.
| Producer: | Domaine François Merlin |
| Region: | Rhone |
| Year: | 2011 |
| Maturity: | 2015-2020 |
| Alcohol: | 12.5% |
| Bottle size: | 750ml |
| Color: | Red |
| Varietal: | Syrah |
| Flavors: | Dark fruit, Spice, Earth |
| Body: | Medium-Full |
| Soul: | Fruit |
