Saint-Joseph AOC

Infobox Wine Region
name = Saint-Joseph AOC


official name = Saint-Joseph
other name = St.-Joseph
type = Appellation d'origine contrôlée
year =
wine years =
country = France
part of = Northern Rhone
similar = Crozes-Hermitage, Cornas, Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie
sub regions =
season =
climate region = continental climate
heat units =
precipitation =
soil =
total size =
planted = 920 hectares
vineyards =
grapes = Syrah, Marsanne, Roussanne
varietals =
wineries =
wine produced =
designation =
comments =

Saint-Joseph or St.-Joseph is a French wine "Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée" (AOC) in the northern Rhône wine region of France. Though the appellation covers the largest amount of land, it is second in actual size under vine to Crozes-Hermitage, an appellation with which it shares much regardin style and prestige. St.-Joseph is primarily a red wine region based on the Syrah grape with a small amount of white (Roussanne or Marsanne) grapes in the blend. Around 10% of the wine is white wine, based on Marsanne and/or Roussanne. [Niels Lillelund: "Rhône-Vinene" JP Bøger - JP/Politikens Forlagshus A/S, 2004. ISBN 87-567-7140-1, p. 97-104]

History

Originally known as Vin de Mauves, mentioned in Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, the wine from St.-Joseph was a favourite in the French court of Louis XII (1498-1515) who owned a vineyard in St.-Joseph known as Clos de Tournon. In 1668 the first official record of vineyards in St. Joseph occur. At first owned by Jesuits. St. Joseph is a saint, allegedly the protector of scorned husbands, and the appellation is named from a vineyard that is in turn named from the saint. This particular vineyard (called simply Saint Joseph) is now owned by the famous winemaker Guigal. The modern-day St.-Joseph begins its history around 1916, but it didn't gain its own AOC until 1956. Before 1969 it was a small appellation covering less than 100 hectares, but in 1971 it was decided to expand the appellation to it present size. In 1994 the potential size of the appellation was capped at 3000 hectares. Originally it was a wine based on pure Syrah, but in 1979 it was allowed to add as much as 10% white grapes. [Niels Lillelund: "Rhône-Vinene" JP Bøger - JP/Politikens Forlagshus A/S, 2004. ISBN 87-567-7140-1, p. 97-98]

Climate and geography

St.-Joseph, along with the rest of Northern Rhône has a continental climate that differs from its southern neighbour, which has a more Mediterranean climate. Winters are wet and marked by the cold "le mistral" winds that can last into the Spring. The appellation is the second largest appellation in the Northern Rhône covering 920 hectares. [Niels Lillelund: "Rhône-Vinene" JP Bøger - JP/Politikens Forlagshus A/S, 2004. ISBN 87-567-7140-1, p. 104] . The classic part of the appellation begins in the south around the villages Mauves and Tournon. This part of St.-Joseph lies fairly high and these fields are regarded as the best of the appellation. 50 km to the north, when the appellation approaches Cote-Rotie, the soil is more rich and the wines differ from the classic southern wines. [Niels Lillelund: "Rhône-Vinene" JP Bøger - JP/Politikens Forlagshus A/S, 2004. ISBN 87-567-7140-1, p. 98-99]

Grapes and wine

As for the Northern Rhône in general, Syrah is the only allowed red grape in St.-Joseph and the appellation is also a red-wine region. It is allowed to add 10% white grapes, the only two allowed are Marsanne and Roussanne. These two grapes also make up the white wine that is made in the appellation 10%.

Many of the red wines are meant to be consumed "while waiting for Hermitage and Cote-Rotie to mature." [Niels Lillelund: "Rhône-Vinene" JP Bøger - JP/Politikens Forlagshus A/S, 2004. ISBN 87-567-7140-1, p. 99] The best wines are found in the south and the vines in this region can be upwards of 100 years old. [Niels Lillelund: "Rhône-Vinene" JP Bøger - JP/Politikens Forlagshus A/S, 2004. ISBN 87-567-7140-1, p. 98] Generally the wines are defined by the young fruit that makes them very drinkable while young. [Niels Lillelund: "Rhône-Vinene" JP Bøger - JP/Politikens Forlagshus A/S, 2004. ISBN 87-567-7140-1, p. 99]

References

ee also

*French wine