2020 St Joseph, Pierre Gonon, Rhône

A noble black grape variety grown particularly in the Northern Rhône where it produces the great red wines of Hermitage, Cote Rôtie and Cornas, and in Australia where it produces wines of startling depth and intensity. Reasonably low yields are a crucial factor for quality as is picking at optimum ripeness. Its heartland, Hermitage and Côte Rôtie, consists of 270 hectares of steeply terraced vineyards producing wines that brim with pepper, spices, tar and black treacle when young. After 5-10 years they become smooth and velvety with pronounced fruit characteristics of damsons, raspberries, blackcurrants and loganberries. It is now grown extensively in the Southern Rhône where it is blended with Grenache and Mourvèdre to produce the great red wines of Châteauneuf du Pape and Gigondas amongst others. Its spiritual home in Australia is the Barossa Valley, where there are plantings dating as far back as 1860. Australian Shiraz tends to be sweeter than its Northern Rhône counterpart and the best examples are redolent of new leather, dark chocolate, liquorice, and prunes and display a blackcurrant lusciousness. South African producers such as Eben Sadie are now producing world- class Shiraz wines that represent astonishing value for money.

St Joseph is the second-largest appellation in the Northern Rhône with 50 growers producing wines from over 600 hectares of vineyards. Established in 1956, over 90 percent of the wine is red – made exclusively from the Syrah grape; the whites are typically a blend of Marsanne and Roussanne. The best St Josephs are still produced in its original heartland, between St Jean-de-Muzols and Mauves.

Likeable brothers Pierre and Jean Gonon make exemplars of fine St Joseph wines. Their red wine is sourced from six hectares covering the three best communes in the appellation, namely Tournon, Mauves and St Jean de Muzols. Pierre and Jean Gonon farm dramatically steep vineyards and back-breaking work follows organic practices, with no use of herbicides or pesticides and only natural composts to nurture the uncompromising soil of decomposed granite and calcareous limestone