This is the first vintage for this wine, sourced from granitic, south-facing slopes. The 2015 Saint Joseph La Cotte Sud is dense and nearly impenetrable. Hugely concentrated, with massive cassis fruit and waves of firm tannins, it will need a few years (or more) in the cellar to become approachable.

A new cuvée (or at least the first time I've tasted it), the 2015 Saint Joseph La Côte Sud offers a richer, riper style than the other Saint Joseph releases from Courbis. Blackcurrants, toasted spice, licorice and cured meat notes all flow to a concentrated, unctuous 2015 that has terrific fruit intensity and a great finish. The tannins are slightly more pronounced, but there’s tons of sweet fruit and awesome purity, all contributing to a gorgeous Saint Joseph that's going to drink nicely for a decade or more.

Vivid purple. Mineral- and spice-accented aromas of ripe dark berries, licorice and violet on the nose. At once fleshy and energetic, offering juicy blackberry and bitter cherry flavors, and taking on a hint of smokiness and a touch of cola on the back half. Turns sweeter on the nicely persistent finish, which features supple tannins and lingering smoke and floral nuances.

(50% new oak) Brilliant ruby. An expansive bouquet evokes ripe black and blue fruits, potpourri and olive, and a smoky mineral note builds in the glass. Shows impressive depth and energy on the palate, offering sweet dark berry, vanilla and violet flavors that are braced by a spine of juicy acidity. Shows a surprisingly light touch for its heft and finishes on a gently tannic note, displaying bright delineation and spicy thrust. JR