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Domaine Verzier, St Joseph, Empreinte 2022

From light sandy and pebbley soils over granite at around 300m.  100% Syrah into 500l. demi-muids for a year. Pure, black fruit perfume with a toasty edge. This is very youthful, with generous mass and fine tannins to the fore; but also vivid black cherry and brambly fruit with a black liquorice note. Great freshness and balance promise a good future, but already delicious decanted. Now-2031

“Thoroughly engaging with masses of enticing dark fruit underscored by a flourish of minty herbals.Muscular and broad-shouldered with a fluency of fibrous tannins, a tang of lip-smacking acidity and a gorgeous smoky violet finish.97/100 and Platinum medal”, 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards.

The Verzier family has owned land here since 1828, but only in 1988 did father Philippe begin to focus on wine, ceasing the sale of grapes from his 2.5 hectares to the local co-operative and starting to bottle his own wine. Now the family farm 10 hectares of vines and son Maxime, having done apprenticeships in Burgundy, Alsace, South Africa and Canada, is working with his father. Philippe’s wife Isabelle studied naturopathic medicine, and the family apply those natural principles to tending their vines, for example using herbal sprays. All wines here are certified bio-dynamic (Demeter).