Saint-Joseph

Few wine regions can boast of being mentioned in Victor Hugo’s *Les Misérables*… But Saint-Joseph can!! This has contributed to its fame, with elegant red and white wines made from various grape varieties such as Roussanne, Marsanne, Shiraz, Bergeron, and Syrah. The AOC spans 1,100 hectares, covering 23 communes in the Ardèche and 3 in the Loire, stretching along the Rhône River, which results in a rather unique diversity of soils (schist, granite, soft gneiss…), on hillsides with some areas in the foothills or on the plains. Visually, the red wine has a ruby-red color, developing orange highlights over time. The white wine starts with emerald highlights on a pale yellow hue but evolves toward gold. On the nose, Saint-Joseph red wines are distinguished by a very prominent blackcurrant note and aromas of fresh fruit that give way to those of cooked fruit after a few years. The white wines, meanwhile, feature notes of hawthorn that develop spicy undertones over time. On the palate, the red’s tannins are refined, with a predominance of smoothness and aromas of violets and red berries. The white, with its intense bouquet, maintains a beautiful balance between acidity, freshness, and mellowness—the latter becoming more pronounced with age. As for food and wine pairings, the white wines pair perfectly with smoked fish; for the reds, opt primarily for grilled meats such as a rib of beef or lamb.