Saint Joseph

An appellation that defies a broad brushstroke definition because of its sheer size. As opposed to the 10 minutes it takes to traverse Côte-Rôtie, it can take over an an hour (traffic permitting), to travel the 50 km north to south length of the narrow Saint Joseph appellation as it clings to the banks of the Rhône. Harvest in the north of the appellation can start a week or so after the south, so that even each vintage can defy a ‘one tag fits all’ description.

I found the wines from the north carried freshness and balance with finesse too, whilst the south had more texture in the whites, whilst the reds a little more weight. Perfumed, bright, elegant Syrah, delicate mineral-laced Marsanne and Roussanne up north, with richer more compact reds and textured whites in the south, this is one of the most sought-after and up-and-coming regions in the whole of the Rhône.