The granite slopes of Saint-Joseph offer great value compared to its more famous neighbours, as db discovered in a recent masterclass Stretching nearly 60 kilometres, from Condrieu in the north to Cornas in the south, Saint-Joseph is the longest and second-largest cru in the Northern Rhône Valley. It is a succession of granitic hillsides, connected by character rather than village. Despite its impressive length, Saint-Joseph’s terroir is relatively homogenous, including mainly granite soils with south- or southeast-facing slopes. All benefit from the drying north wind that whistles down the valley: La Bise, also known as Le Mistral in the Southern Rhône. Grape varieties are also more straightforward in Saint-Joseph than in the south. Red wines are made from Syrah, while whites are made from Marsanne or Roussanne or, in some cases, both. The grapes must be hand-harvested due to the vertiginous terraces that make large machinery impossible to use. The region has produced wine since Ancient Roman times, but the official appellation was established in 1956, originally consisting of only six villages. The most renowned of these was Tournon, located just across the river from Tain L’Hermitage, along with its neighbour, Mauves. This original heartland is characterised by a specific type of coarse-grained granite, resulting in bold and concentrated styles. In 1969, the appellation was expanded northwards to include 20 additional villages and, today, 130 private domaines are bottling Saint-Joseph, along with 30 négociants and three co-operatives. While the quality of wines from these northern villages, such as Chavanay, can
This Article was originally published on The Drink Business - Wine
