2015 Saint-Joseph, Les Vignes de l'Hospice, Domaine Guigal
About Producer
Founded in 1946 in Ampuis by Étienne Guigal, who arrived in the region in 1923, at the age of 14, and went on to make over 67 vintages in the Côte Rôtie. In 1961, following Étienne's temporary health issues, his son Marcel took over the management of the domaine, despite his young age. Together with his wife Bernadette who joined in 1973, Marcel has significantly expanded the family business over the years. Thanks to their unparalleled craftmanship and through successive acquisitions of vineyards, the Guigals have built up an iconic range of wines seldom matched across the Rhône Valley. Today, their son Philippe, an oenologist by training born in 1975, and his wife Eve are the third generation at the domaine.
Varietals
Syrah
About Appellation
Created as an appellation in 1956, Saint-Joseph is a region known since the Middle Ages for its ‘Vin de Mauves’, named after the village near Tournon where Carmelite monks planted vines in 1334. ‘Saint-Joseph’ is the name of a hillside vineyard that was first mentioned in 1668 as property of the Collège de Tournon, an institution run by Jesuit priests that played a central role in winemaking in the region. Though often considered as country cousin wines without the cachet of their glamorous neighbours, the best Saint-Joseph still give much more pleasure than Hermitage or Côte Rôtie of inferior addresses.
Tasting Notes
Alluring nose of black fruits, smoked meat, cedar, liquorice, violet and crushed stones, supple mouthfeel with plush texture, good weight and remarkable depth, multilayered flavours of blackberry, raspberry, cherry compote, black olive, gingerbread, clove and star anise liberally laced with granite-filled undertones, juicy acidity and luscious tannins carrying through a long, pure finish. Owned by Domaine Guigal since 2001, Vignes de l’Hospice is located on spectacular steep slopes just above Tournon, directly across the Rhône from the ‘colline des Bessards’ of Hermitage fame. Though cut from a very different cloth to Hermitage, this is a compelling testimony to Saint-Joseph elegance while displaying a lush and powerful feel redolent of its neighbour across the river. Shrouding its lively energy in mouth-filling freshness, it’s rich and concentrated while walking a tightrope between succulent ripeness and well-framed structure. It’s broad and intense yet mineral and round, with everything held in perfect balance. A delicious expression of syrah indeed. (08/2023)