La Source Saint Joseph

Jeb Dunnuck, Feb/2026

2024 -

"Violets, gunpowder, pepper, graphite, and red, black, and blue fruits all shine in the 2024 Saint Joseph La Source. It's medium-bodied, has a fresh, focused mouthfeel, firm tannins, and a good finish. Completely destemmed and aged 14 months in 80% concrete and 20% oak, this classy, incredibly granite-driven Saint-Joseph should benefit from a year or two of bottle age."

Jeb Dunnuck, Nov/2022

2021 -

"The 2021 Saint Joseph La Source is a step up over the base Crozes and has a great nose of red and black raspberries, game, and spring flowers. It has a distinct sense of minerality, medium body, and terrific overall balance. It should be outstanding."

Antonio Galloni's Vinous, Dec/2022

2020 -

"Lurid ruby. Expressive black and blue fruit, olive, vanilla and cracked pepper aromas complement a floral quality that emerges as the wine opens up. Offers appealingly sweet, smoke- and mineral-tinged blueberry, cherry-cola and vanilla flavors that show good definition and spicy lift. Delivers a solid punch of flavor but comes off surprisingly lithe, closing on a subtly tannic note with impressive, mineral-driven persistence. Raised in a combination of concrete tanks and used oak barrels."

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Jan/2022

2020 -

"The 2020 Saint Joseph Lieu-Dit Saint Joseph was still in barrel at the time of my visit, but this sample was blended from the three barrels that exist. It shows the site's typical red fruit, ample weight and richness, velvety tannins and some slightly edgy acids. It looks to be a bit less impressive than the 2019, but still excellent."

Jeb Dunnuck, Feb/2022

2020 -

"Coming from a mix of granite and loess soils, the 2020 Saint Joseph La Source will unquestionably be an outstanding wine and has lots of classic Saint Joseph dark fruits (as well as some red fruits) to go with notes of crushed stone, pepper, and violets. I love the palate, and it’s medium-bodied, with a pure, seamless mouthfeel and silky tannins."

Jeb Dunnuck, Dec/2022

2020 -

"In the same ballpark as the entry level Crozes, the 2020 Saint Joseph La Source reveals a deep ruby/purple color as well as a charming, forward, almost sexy style. Darker berries, bouquet garni, leather, and spice define the nose, and it's sweetly fruited and textured on the palate, with soft tannins. Drink this undeniably delicious Saint Joseph over the coming 7-8 years."

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Jan/2022

2019 -

"There were three barrels bottled of the 2019 Saint Joseph Lieu-Dit Saint Joseph, which will be released in February 2022. Subtle herb shadings accent redcurrants and red raspberries on the nose, while the full-bodied palate is supple, almost creamy in feel, with those melted tannins lingering easily on the long finish."

Jeb Dunnuck, Mar/2021

2019 -

"The 2019 Saint Joseph La Source is a total charmer, offering classic Saint Joseph character while bringing beautiful fruit and richness. Medium to full-bodied notes of blackberries, peppery herbs, and graphite all emerge from the glass, and it shows the richness of the vintage, has ripe tannins, and is already hard to resist. It's a beauty."

Antonio Galloni's Vinous, Dec/2022

2019 -

"Dark violet color. A deeply perfumed bouquet evokes smoke-accented blueberry, kirsch, licorice and cracked pepper. Round and appealingly sweet, offering pliant dark berry compote, cherry-cola and allspice flavors and a subtle floral pastille note. Gains richness with air and finishes long and gently tannic, with repeating spiciness and a touch of candied licorice. Raised in used oak barrels and concrete tanks."

Jeb Dunnuck, Aug/2022

2019 -

"Blackberries, peppery herbs, graphite, and leather notes all emerge from the 2019 Saint Joseph La Source, a quintessential St. Joseph that's medium-bodied, has tons of minerality, and a great finish. Readers looking for a textbook, impeccably made Saint-Joseph will love this. It will shine for 10-12 years."

Decanter, Sep/2022

2019 -

"Wood smoke on the nose. Fairly full-bodied, this has a big presence on the palate, and fine tannins that are saturated in ripe fruit. It does feel very ripe, but there's freshness here too, and it ends with tight yet juicy tannins... All destemmed, aged for 12 months in oak barrels and vats."

Antonio Galloni's Vinous, Apr/2020

2018 -

"Saturated ruby. A complex bouquet evokes spice-accented dark berries and cherry liqueur, along with suggestions of succulent flowers and black pepper. Lively and focused in the mouth, offering sweet black raspberry, cherry cola, allspice and floral pastille flavors that are underscored by a core of smoky minerality. Smooth tannins sneak up slowly on the long, focused finish, which shows sharp clarity and leaves behind juicy red fruit and spice notes. 85% concrete and 15% oak for aging."

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, May/2021

2018 -

"Scents of cedar and mocha mark the nose of the 2018 Saint Joseph Lieu-Dit Saint Joseph, which spent about a year in 10% new oak. There's plenty of concentrated, velvety-textured fruit backing up the wood treatment, resulting in a delicious, plush, modern-styled Syrah."

Jeb Dunnuck, Dec/2019

2018 -

"The entry-level Saint Joseph, the 2018 Saint Joseph La Source is in a mix of tank and barrels. This classy, complex effort offers lots of spring flowers, new leather, and black raspberry notes as well as medium-bodied richness, good acidity, and light, yet present tannins. It's a pretty, balanced, well-made wine to enjoy over the coming 5-7 years."

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Oct/2018

2017 -

"The 2017 Saint Joseph Lieu-Dit Saint Joseph is a micro-cuvée from 60-year-old vines (two barrels have been made, approximately 600 bottles). It offers aromas of violets and crushed stone backed by flavors of plum and licorice. Full-bodied, firm and structured, it looks like it will need a couple more years to come around."

Antonio Galloni's Vinous, Apr/2020

2017 -

"Opaque ruby. Pungent cassis, cherry pit and game scents are sharpened by building spice and smoky mineral notes. Concentrated dark berry and bitter cherry flavors slowly gain sweetness and pick up a suave floral pastille nuance. Unfolds steadily with air and finishes sappy, sweet and impressively long, with a lingering smoked meat note and slow-building tannins. Aged in an 85/15 combination of concrete tanks and oak barrels."

Jeb Dunnuck, Dec/2018

2017 -

"Inky colored, the 2017 Saint Joseph La Source offers a serious amount of black raspberries, cassis, crushed rocks, violets, and hints of lavender, with more green herb notes with time in the glass. Concentrated, youthful, slightly exotic, and loaded with fruit, it's going to benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for a decade."

Jeb Dunnuck, Dec/2019

2017 -

"A more open, expressive wine at this point, the 2017 Saint Joseph La Source has lots of spice, new leather, dried herbs, and sweet berry fruit aromas and flavors. These carry to a medium-bodied 2017 that has plenty of minerality, outstanding balance, and a great finish, all pointing to an outstanding Saint Joseph that will benefit from a year or two in bottle and keep for 7-8."

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Oct/2018

2016 -

"The 2016 Saint Joseph Lieu-Dit Saint Joseph features attractive aromas of crushed stone, black olives, black cherries and roasted meat. Medium to full-bodied, it's velvety in texture, with a long, cedar and vanilla-tinged finish. Already approachable, it should drink well for the next 10-12 years."

Jeb Dunnuck, Dec/2018

2016 -

"Leading off the Saint Joseph releases and from multiple vineyards throughout the appellation, the 2016 Saint Joseph La Source offers loads of burning embers, blackberries, licorice and roasted herb characteristics. With medium to full-bodied richness and ripe, present tannin, it's another balanced, classic wine from Ferraton to drink over the coming decade."

James Suckling, Oct/2019

2016 -

"A blend of several parcels, this has quite a savory feel with wet slate, cocoa and black pepper, dusted across an array of rich red plums. The palate has elegance with fine-grained tannins, holding a firmish finish. Try from 2022."

Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, Dec/2016

2015 -

"Another huge, sexy wine is the 2015 St Joseph La Source, which at this quality, sells for a song. Black raspberries, cassis, red currants, licorice and graphite all emerge from this full-bodied beauty that has sweet tannin and a stacked mid-palate. It will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and drink well for over a decade. Twenty-eight bucks? More please."

Antonio Galloni’s Vinous, Apr/2017

2015 -

"(raised in 80 percent concrete tanks and 20 percent new and used barriques) Dark purple. Mineral-accented black and blue fruits, licorice and Indian spices on the fragrant nose. Juicy and broad on the palate, offering appealingly sweet cassis and boysenberry flavors, a suggestion of bitter chocolate and building spiciness. Lingers with very good tenacity on the finish, which is shaped by dusty, even tannins."

Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, Dec/2016

2014 -

"Leading off the four 2014 St Joseph releases, the 2014 St Joseph La Source comes from a mix of terroirs (both the northern and southern regions of the appellation) and was brought up mostly in concrete. It has a juicy, lively, elegant style as well as lots of granite-induced notes of blackberries, damp earth and crushed rock. Drink this classy, well-made St Joseph over the coming 4-5 years.

The quality (and number of cuvées) from this estate continues to soar, and this is easily the finest lineup up of wines I’ve tasted from this team."

Antonio Galloni's Vinous, Mar/2016

2013 -

"Deep ruby. Smoky, expansive scents of fresh blackberry, violet and peppery spices and a zesty mineral nuance building in the glass. Supple and broad on the palate, offering plump black and blue fruit flavors and a subtle licorice pastille nuance. A peppery quality adds cut to a long, gently sweet finish shaped by harmonious tannins. I find this wine quite accessible today, especially after an hour or so of aeration."

Antonio Galloni's Vinous, Feb/2015

2012 -

"Inky ruby. Powerful scents of blackberry and mulberry, with hints of smoky herbs and olive adding complexity. Plump, gently sweet dark berry and cherry compote flavors show very good depth and pick up a touch of spiciness with air. This pliant, appealingly sweet wine finishes with very good thrust, soft tannins and lingering smokiness."