Saint Joseph Rouge, Pierre Gonon 2020

St. Joseph is often declared to be a second tier appellation in the Northern Rhone, but here’s proof that it can play in the first league of the region. This has an incredibly deep nose of ripe blackberries, other forest berries and smoke. On the barely full-bodied palate it is simultaneously rich, focused and extremely complex with very graceful fine tannins and stacks of stony minerality at the breathtakingly fresh finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.

The 2020 Saint Joseph is another gem from this estate. From yields of 36 hectoliters per hectare and fermented with plenty of stems, its deep purple hue is followed by a quintessential Saint-Joseph bouquet of dark, peppery fruits, damp earth, violets, and spring flowers. With a beautiful sense of minerality, medium to full body, ripe tannins, and no hard edges, this gorgeous Saint-Joseph will evolve for 10-15 years with no issues.