Northern Rhone
Saint-Joseph (圣约瑟)

Click to View: Map of Cote Rotie

This area comprises of 950 hectares of cultivated vines and is located south of Chateau Grillet (which won’t be listed in our write-up due to scarcity) in the northern portion of France’s Rhone Valley since 1956. It encompasses six villages clustered around the village of Mauves. In 1969 the Saint-Joseph AC was expanded to include another twenty small communes farther south, creating an appellation that extends for over 35 miles along the west bank of the Rhône River, stopping in the south at the Cornas AC.

The Saint-Joseph AC produces both red and white wines. White wines are made from Marsanne and Roussanne grapes; reds use mainly Syrah, sometimes blended with a small amount of the two white grapes.

The red wines are said to be similar to but lighter than those from neighboring appellations of Hermitage and Cornas-deep-colored, full-flavored, full-bodied, and intense. White wines are usually described as lighter versions of the powerful, long-aging whites from Hermitage AC.

Grape(s):

Soils:

From left to right: Granite, Sand, and Terrace.

Weather Conditions:
This area sees a moderate continental climate, with warm summers and regular rainfall in the other seasons. The area can suffer under the mistral, a strong, cold wind from the north, which can last for several days.

From left to right: Continental Climate, Warm Summers, and Moderate Rainfall.

Best Producers:
Domaine Des Amphores
Domaine Barou
Etienne Becheras
Domaine Laurent Betton
Domaine Blachon ( Les Coteaux)
Patricia Boucher & Thomas Putman
Domaine de Champal-Rocher, Eric Rocher
Cave de Chante-Perdrix
Aurelien Chatagnier
Domaine du Chateau Vieux
Domaine du Chene, Marc & Dominique Rouviere
Louis Cheze
Laurent Chomat
Gerard Courbis
Elizabeth Fogier
Domaine de Gachon, Pascal Perrier
Domaine de Gouye
Domaine Florentin
Pascal Jamet
Domaine de la Faviere
Domaine Marsanne
Domaine de Boisseyt-Chol
Laurent Marthouret
Domaine Monier
Domaine du Monteillet, Stephane Montez
Didier Morion
Domaine du Mortier
Alain Paret
Domaine de Pierre Blanche
David Raydon
Domaine Herve & Marie-Therese Richard
Domaine Romaneaux-Destezet
Cave de Saint-Desirat
Raymond Trollat
Domaine Vallet
Gilles Flacher
Pierre Gaillard
Domaine Chirol
Domaine de la Cote Sainte-Epine
Domaine Courbis
La Ferme des Sept Lunes
Pascal Marthouret
Domaine Farjon
Pierre Finon
Domaine Coursodon
Domaine Bernard & Feabrice Gripa
Domaine Durand
Domaine Gonon, Jean & Pierre (Les Oliviers)
Domaine de Fauterie, Sylvain Bernard
Domaine des Miquettes

Further Reading:
Wikipedia
Wine Geeks