Featuring pronounced violet aromas and spice-riddled red berries on the nose, the full-bodied 2018 Saint-Joseph Vignes de l'Hospice is eerily reminiscent of the 2015. It's full-bodied, plush and velvety, yet it retains great detail and complexity, finishing long and elegant.

Cut from the same cloth yet more rounded, supple, and sexy, the 2018 Saint Joseph Vignes des Hospices is another Hermitage look-alike with its burning embers, graphite, crushed flowers, and meaty dark fruits. I love its texture, it’s full-bodied and concentrated, and it will be drinkable at an earlier age than the 2017.

This is packed with dark fig, blackberry and black cherry compote flavors, all wrapped in apple wood and bacony toast before ending with a swath of warm earth on the finish. Rock-solid, with range and depth for the cellar. Best from 2022 through 2035. 600 cases made, 100 cases imported.