We are introducing a new segment to our blog and could not be kicking this off with a more excellent selection.

Yves Cuilleron, Les Serines, Saint-Joseph, ’05

WHHOOAAA!!!  This juice is smokin’…literally.  This Cuilleron is one of the single best wines I’ve ever sampled out of the Northern Rhone.  It’s classic Syrah with its smoky, gamey notes balanced perfectly by the blue and black fruit and an underpinning minerality that brings it all together.  This medium + bodied wine is super intense yet has a finesse attributable to the well-integrated tannins and acid.

I knew this wine was going to be good- single-vineyard Saint-Joseph from the original Saint-Joseph* from an all-star producer backed by an all-star importer, Neal Rosenthal.  Expectations were high but I was quickly put in my place.  I nearly smelled the wine for 5 minutes before I could even dare taste it due to the remarkable complexity of this wine[-] and the palate was just as glorious.  The skies opened up and sweet baby Jesus touched me on the forehead…or so I thought.

The price tag is a little unnerving for a Saint-Joseph, but this has seriously surpassed the majority of the Hermitages and Côte-Rôties I’ve encountered at 2-3 times the price.  Don’t be scurred, daddy’s got ya!

On the Ballstein 5-star scale of radness, it scores 6 stars- EPIC!!!

*Saint-Joseph is over nine times the size it once was…BOO!!!!