Pierre Gaillard Saint-Joseph Rouge 2017

Gaillard's Saint-Joseph comes from parcels located in Côte Bellay, Malleval and Buis. The vines all lie in the far north of St Joseph, closer to Vienne and Condrieu than to Tournon-sur-Rhône. The steep, cool soils here have plenty of granite, which contributes to the style of this perfumed and vibrant Syrah. The individual vineyard parcels are kept separate and are mostly destemmed before crushing. Each parcel is then vinified separately to bring out its own individuality, and to allow more options when assembling the wine. In short, Bellay lays down the wine's elegant foundations, which is complemented by the spicy power of the Malleval wines and juicy, primary fruit from Buis. The final wine is then aged in Allier and Nevers barrels, only 20% new, for 18-20 months. Bottled unfiltered, this is a spicy and fragrant, 100% Syrah with good flesh but also plenty of classic, savoury Northern Rhône freshness. A healthy seasoning of black pepper and nettle hums in the background, underpinning the wine's core of fleshy, dark cherry fruit. Gaillard's Saint-Joseph often benefits from a few years in bottle to find its sweet spot-not so with the 2017, which is already drinking beautifully.