($145, Vintus):  Hermitage and St. Joseph have precisely the same soil because when the Rhône River turned south, it sliced through the granite hill instead of coursing around it, putting Hermitage on the eastern bank and St. Joseph on its western bank.  Conventional wisdom has it that wines from St. Joseph are lighter and earlier maturing because the Syrah vines face east and receive less afternoon sun during the critical time just before harvest, resulting in less ripe grapes.  Well, true to form, Guigal is redefining conventional wisdom, much as he did in Côte Rôtie with his single vineyard bottlings of La Mouline, La Landonne and La Turque.  Guigal acquired land in St. Joseph with the purchase of the Grippat firm in 2000 and have spent years restoring the steeply terraced vineyards.  Now, they have Vignes de l’ Hospice to add to their single vineyard offerings.  It’s a concentrated, but not overdone, mixture of meaty/beefy elements and a smattering of bright black pepper notes.  Great complexity, length and Guigal’s signature polish puts it head and shoulders above any other wine from St. Joseph. 97 Michael Apstein May 8, 2012