Leading off the St Josephs and I'm sure the best vintage of this cuvée to date, the inky-colored 2015 Saint Joseph offers gorgeous notes of smoked black fruits, violets, lavender and chocolate in a rich, full-bodied, rounded and sexy style. It has present tannin, but more than enough fruit.

Intense berry and lavender aromas are sharpened by a smoky mineral quality and a hint of white pepper. Seamless, focused and gently sweet on the palate, offering intense dark fruit liqueur and floral pastille flavors that become spicier on the back half. Finishes smooth and very long, with an echo of candied flowers and supple tannins adding shape.

An estate that readers need to have on their radar is that of Brothers Laurent and Dominique Courbis, in the village of Châteaubourg. The entire lineup is a treasure trove of quality wines, which can generally be found at reasonable prices

Vintage 2015 is  the product of a hot, sunny, dry summer, with June and July being close to perfect. Based on the weather, growing season and harvest, it looks like there is going to be a lot to like about the 2015 Northern Rhone Valley wines as all the information points to this being an exceptional vintage well worth buying and cellaring.