This is what eau de abattoir smells like. — 10 years ago
This bottle of 2020 Courbis Saint-Joseph was opened in advance but unsure of how long prior; likely before service or even the day before. The wine pours a violet color with a translucent core. Medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, deep, dark candied black fruits with purple flowers, coffee, milk chocolate and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium(+) tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes on the nose with a bit of black pepper on the finish…which is long. While this isn’t a showstopper, it is good and serves as a reminder that these wines from Domaine Courbis shouldn’t be slept on. Great value. Drink now with some patience and should drink well through 2030. — a year ago
Lovely, creamy mouth feel. Black cherry and tobacco notes. — 6 years ago
Popped and poured; something I don’t recommend. This was super lean on Day 1 and hard to even identify as Syrah. However, by Day 3 it’s a different story. The 2021 pours a deep ruby with near opaque core; medium viscosity with significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is youthful with notes of red, black and blue fruits, bacon fat, lavender pastilles, and gentle warm spices. On the palate, medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is also medium. This is definitely on the leaner side and having had enough of the 2021’s from both the Northern and Southern Rhone, the vintage certainly reminds me a touch of 2014. This needs some time and I suspect patience will be rewarded down the road, just like the 2014’s have proven. Regardless, this is a lighter and more classic vintage. Best after 2028 and through 2040. — 8 months ago
NOSE: chocolate, cooked meat, dark berries, honeycomb, stone and minerals. But all pretty restrained.
TASTE: horse, straw, BBQ, minerals (metals), charcoal, dark berries (but not a lot). BTW, that isn’t meant to be a recipe. Heavy tannin, but smooth. I do not care for the BBQ/smoke profile in wine, but this is very, very good. I imagine this could (should) age for a long time. As you’d expect, gets better with air …94… — 2 years ago
Black pepper, tannins, meaty savory — 9 years ago
Ellen Clifford
Confidently red and blue fruit forward—fresh and macerated, ballasted by earth. The palate is stunningly smooth—those tannins are well-integrated, and the fruit leads the way, but it welcomes some lavender and violet notes. Tart and ripe, even giving a hint of…ouzo? Yeah, licorice! And a whiff of smoke. It has a kick, a spice, and a…can a girth be slender? This wine is broad and, at the same time, dialed in. The finish lingers, a long purple-y road. — 3 months ago