St-Joseph 2022: Report and top-scoring wines

This is an intense wine with smoky cassis aromas. On the palate the acidity is balanced, though it's really quite extracted. It shows damson and blackberry flavours, like a condensed fruit coulis, and it’s really packed full of muscular tannin. The oak work is perfectly judged. It could score higher in time, as for now it's really quite embryonic and very tannic – but those tannins are very well combed out nonetheless. It’s quite a chiselled style that will take a long time to soften. Although it has impressive length and depth, you should wait at least five years before approaching. Grown in the lieu-dit St-Joseph in Mauves, in southern St-Joseph. Aged in new and recently used barrels for 18 months.

Some attractive Christmas spicing to the generous black fruits. Plump, round and fruity, with lovely, silky, supple tannins and a long finish. Particularly successful in this vintage thanks to the generosity of fruit, ripe tannins and smart oak work. Very good indeed.

Relatively light in body for this cuvée, with very fine tannins for the vintage and good acidity. Nice sense of vibrancy, but perhaps not as deep or long as the finest vintages of Gonon's St-Joseph. Enjoyably crisp structure, however, and a lightly mineral finish. There's a possibility this might close down for a period, so drink young or wait until 2030.

Violets and menthol on the palate, within soft, juicy, succulent tannins. The acidity is a little lower and alcohol a little higher than recent vintages. Nevertheless, a beautiful wine that may score higher after bottling.

A tasting of the four main parts (Les Challaix, Le Clos, La Dardouille and Bachasson) suggests that this will be a vintage that combines power – black fruits and thick tannins from La Dardouille – and more lifted, fleshy, fragrant, low acid elements from Les Challaix, plus Bachasson's rose and raspberry. A little richer and more velvety than a typical year.

Gorgeous nose of violets and pink peppercorns. It's tannic, powerful, but enjoyably strict and straight. Good energy and intensity, not as soupy as some 2022s, though certainly ripe and long, with great verve. Fermented in concrete with some whole berries; aged in barrels of various sizes.

Savoury herbal notes of juniper and bay leaf. Soft, plump and lush fruit, but all quite contained, focused and well shaped. Structured but not excessively so, this is a successful, classically styled St-Joseph that northern Rhône lovers should thoroughly enjoy. Give it a year for the tannins to soften.

Nicely judged oak, with enough fresh, juicy black fruit underneath to cope, though give it time as the oak work is generous. Soft, sweet, luxurious damson and blackberry fruit, no excess alcohol heat, just a feeling of richness. Successful in an oaked style.

Wonderful nose, incredibly expressive, with rose petals, peppercorns, tobacco and herbs – like a Côte Blonde-side Côte-Rôtie. Rather soft on the palate, however, lacking a little acidity and focus perhaps, with warming alcohol. You certainly feel the heat of the vintage in the languorous ripe fruit. Long finish. Very much of its vintage, but still lovely and aromatically delightful.

Aromas of earthy blackcurrant, with generous oak spice, cola and clove. It has good acidity and brightness, and no overextraction. An interesting mix between light freshness of fruit, energy and intense oak spice, suggesting this will age with interest. From good terroir in a heavily oaked style. Aged for 30 months in new oak barriques. Certified Haute Valeur Environnementale.

Smoky bacon and violet notes, then full-bodied, generous and concentrated in the mouth. Good acidity and internal freshness, even though the fruit is soft, liqueured and velvety with a long finish. Fermented with a proportion of whole bunch; matured for 15 months in demi-muids.

Full-bodied, this has great fullness and depth. Tannins are robust but should settle in time to produce a complex, satisfying wine. Destemmed fruit; aged for 10 months in barrel, some new, some two-year-old.

Dark and brooding, with peppery spice, vanilla and smoky bacon notes. This has lovely tannic finesse, great energy, bright acidity and tension. It really grips the palate. It’s very vibrant, it fizzes and crackles. A wine with a good sense of clarity and definition. The oak spice rises on the long finish, as does the oak tannin, but this will be very good in time. You could open this now with food, but the best will come from 2029. From a 3ha parcel in Chavanay, planted 1981. It was aged in barriques, 40% of them new. Certified Haute Valeur Environnementale.

Decidedly introverted at the time of tasting, but there's plenty here it’s just all tightly wound for now. Good concentration and tannic load, it's quite a muscular mouthful. Oak work is aromatically fairly discreet, but the palate is structured. It’s not offering much pleasure currently, but has good potential. From 30-year-old vines, the fruit was destemmed, then aged in barriques and demi-muids. Certified Haute Valeur Environnementale.

Classic, spicy, smoky nose with cardamon notes. Bright acidity, with red berries and blackberry flavours. Finishes dry and slightly earthy. Great drinkability, not long but very good, with slightly dry tannins.

A lighter style among the structured 2022s, this is perfumed, fragrant and fresh. It has concentration and depth on the palate, however, with a long, oak-tinged finish. This has a real sense of elegance, even if the acidity is on the low side. It’s very much a northern St-Joseph in style, it has delicacy. The oak is dominant currently, so give this time to integrate – it will be very good when it's ready. Certified Haute Valeur Environnementale.

Attractive violet and raspberry-scented in style. Silky, pure and rounded, with good acidity. A fairly light, drinkable and charming St-Joseph for early drinking which is likely to be good value. 60-year-old vines, all destemmed, 5% new oak.

Full, concentrated, fulsome and juicy, with soft, sweet blackcurrant fruits and generous oak spice. All very well integrated, this will provide some succulent, complex drinking in the medium term, but no need to wait. Does feel like a hot vintage, all very ripe and opulent, but the alcohol is balanced.

Smoky bacon aromas, then a fresh and structured palate with a lovely saline nip and robust, upright tannins. Plenty of acidity, energy and freshness. Long, ripe, quite soft in fruit but the acidity cuts through. Matured for 20 months in demi-muids.

Laying somewhere between fruit, spice and smoke, this has a particularly compelling aromatic display that could only be St-Joseph. Soft and yielding on the palate, it does have freshness if no great structure. The acidity helps to keep it brisk and moving, even if the fruit is soft and malleable. Enjoyably expressive and aromatically detailed.