Bécheras’ Saint-Joseph vines line a site composed of schist and granite, but his special, minimally produced “Tour Joviac” cuvée comes specifically from two steep parcels. All fruit is harvested by hand and left to macerate on skins for three days prior to de-stemming and crushing. Thereafter, spontaneous fermentation continues for a month or so, depending on the vintage, and the resulting wine ages for 24 months in French oak barrels before being bottled without fining or filtration.

There’s something about the vividness of the granitic minerality and the depth of the fruit in Bécheras’ 2017 “Tour Joviac” that transports me right to this specific rocky hillside above the Rhône River. It fills the glass with an opaque purple-black core and unfurls with concentrated notes of blackcurrant, black cherry liqueur, black raspberry, licorice, blueberry, star anise, peppercorn, tapenade, cured meat, and baking spices. It’s a full-bodied, full-flavored red that unveils a new layer with every sip, a Syrah that thunders across your palate with equal amounts of brooding intensity and light-footed grace. It’s delicious now, but destined for a long life—2035 isn’t out of the question. Aside from some slow-cooked lamb, I can’t think of anything else that would go better with this classically styled Syrah than Epicurious’ original steak au poivre recipe from 1953. Cheers!