The 2000 St.-Joseph Les Challeys displays a dark ruby color along with a straightforward perfume of currants, cherries, earth, and herbs. It is medium-bodied and pleasant, but one-dimensional. The least expensive St.-Joseph cuvee is Les Challeys. This is a fruity, straightforward effort to consume during its first 2-3 years of life. This is a good commercial example. The significant difference in quality between the outstanding 1999 northern Rhone vintage and the above average yet essentially correct 2000 is dramatically evidenced in Delas's wines. The 2000 red offerings reveal charming ripeness, but also the vintage's softness, lightness, and lack of depth. Importer: Maison Marques et Domaines, Oakland, CA; tel. (510) 286-2000.

A ripe, perfumed, relatively soft wine, which is going to give great pleasure with its juicy fruit, ripe jelly flavors and balancing acidity. You could enjoy this wine within a year, but it should age well over the next five or six. ——R.V.(6/1/2002)—— 89