This superb Syrah from three vineyards in the Saint-Joseph appellation feels like it comes from a different era. It's just 12.5% alcohol, yet it never feels hard; carrying this subliminal cracked black pepper spice (which comes from the large proportion of whole bunches) and layers of darkly savoury fruit before unashamedly bitter, powerful tannins. An excellent example of how Saint-Joseph 'should' taste.

In a world where many winemakers are trying hard to make simple, affable red wines, Jean-Baptiste Souillard is proud to do the opposite. Souillard deliberately crafts his ultra-classy northern Rhône wines to age, fermenting them slowly in his chilly ancient cellar in a decidedly unfashionable part of the region. But this isn't a story about old blokes yelling at clouds - instead, Souillard is just a wine nerd intent on making truly great wines. He's well travelled too, having worked vintages in Australia and New Zealand for some international diversity, not to mention French experience in the iconic cellars of Chateau Latour in Bordeaux and Comte Armand in Burgundy. It all plays out into wines that feel just perfect. Souillard makes timeless Marsanne/Roussanne/Viognier-based white wines and Syrah-based reds that have a sense of x-factor. The reds are tannic, spicy, and medium-bodied, while the whites are complex, floral, and mineral. Oak is old, fining and filtration are avoided, and sulphur additions are minimal. Everything slowly unfurls in the bottle and rewards the patient, raising the question - can you resist?