Saint-Joseph

St. Joseph spans the length of the Rhone’s right bank from Condrieu (with which it overlaps) in the north to St. Péray to the south. On these east-facing slopes, the vines lose the sunlight earlier than those across the river on and around the Hermitage hill, and as a result they tend to be less robust than those on the left bank or on the south facing slopes of Côte-Rôtie. For that reason, they can often be more enjoyable to drink in their first five years of life than Syrahs from more prestigious neighbours. Increasingly, though, ambitious vignerons are crafting exciting, long lived reds from the varied soils of St, Joseph, along with mostly Marsanne-based whited that appeal to those looking for an economical alternative to Hermitage Blanc.