Saint-Joseph Wine

Saint-Joseph is the largest of the northern Rhone appellations, producing both red wines, mainly from the Syrah variety, and white wines from Marsanne and Roussanne grapes.

The appellation was introduced in 1956. It began as a relatively small appellation, covering only six communes (the French word for parish), but was extended in 1969 to cover 20 more following early commercial success and the subsequent drive for expansion.

When the AOC laws were updated in October 2009, the appellation was reviewed and the number of communes covered was confirmed at 26, covering almost the entire western bank of the Rhone river from Condrieu in the north to Valence in the south. The five most northerly (Chavanay, Malleval, Saint-Michel-sur-Rhone, Saint-Pierre-de-Boeuf and Verin) actually qualify for both the Saint-Joseph and Condrieu appellations.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the best area of Saint-Joseph is where its vineyards are closest to the excellent terroir of Hermitage, in the middle of the northern Rhone region. Although Hermitage and its granite hills are located on the east bank of the river, the town of Tournon on the west bank shares some of its geographical bounty. The communes of Vion, Lemps, St-Jean-de-Muzols, Tournon, Mauves and Glun (from north to south) cover an area three miles (5km) north and south of Tournon – land covered almost exclusively by vineyards and villages. The terrain here has less of the granite that warms the vines across the river, and the majority of its slopes face east rather than south-west towards the ripening rays of the afternoon sun, but it is still a source of many high-quality red wines. These are generally made in a lighter style, for earlier consumption (no more than four years), and lean towards fruitier flavors with softer tannins rather than the meatier, leathery style of Hermitage.

White wines makes up only one in ten bottles of Saint-Joseph's production and are dry in style, with honeyed, floral aromas and balanced weight and acidity. They are in marked contrast to the sweet Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise wines from the southern Rhone and the heavier wines of Condrieu and Chateau Grillet.

The terroirs of Saint-Joseph vary considerably in the 40 miles (65km) the appellation covers along the Rhone valley. The best sites are set on primary rock formations, consisting of gneiss, granite and mica-rich schist, while others are set on limestone outcrops, or the alluvial soils of ancient glacial terraces. These soils each bring their own characteristics to the wines produced from them.