Domaine Michelas St-Jemms Sainte Epine Saint-Joseph 2009

The super-impressive 2009 St.-Joseph Ste.-Epine possesses a dense purple color in addition to copious aromas of sweet strawberry, black cherry and raspberry fruit, forest floor, licorice, truffles and a liqueur of granite/crushed rock-like character. This full-bodied, intense, light to moderately tannic 2009 will benefit from 2-3 years of cellaring, and it should keep for 10-15 years. Score - 90+. (Robert Parker Jr., erobertparker.com, Dec. 2011)