Perennially among the best bottlings from the appellation, the 2019 Saint-Joseph Vignes de l'Hospice looks set to rival the tremendous effort bottled in 2015. Enticing scents of crushed stone, pencil shavings and cassis appear on the nose (it ages in 100% new oak), and while this full-bodied wine packs plenty of power, it also shows characteristic granite-derived restraint, delivering a tense balance between ripeness and structure. It should be a beauty, but give it time, as the tannins are prominent at this early stage of its evolution.

Coming from a cooler, granite terroir just above Tournon, the 2019 Saint Joseph Vignes De L'Hospice is a serious, age-worthy beauty, and I always find a certain Hermitage-like character in wines from this vineyard. Full-bodied, concentrated, and powerful, it has masses of tannins as well as remarkable purity, and ample fruit and concentration. The aromatics lean toward the blue end of the spectrum, but it's a mineral-laced, peppery, beautiful Saint Joseph in the making. A solid 4-6 years, if not more, of bottle age are recommended.