There are five famous wine appellations (AOCs) in the Northern Rhône that have set the benchmark for Syrah. The wines of Côte Rotie, Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, Cornas and Saint Joseph are all Syrah-based wines and differ in style due of their varying soils and microclimates. These reds wines can range dramatically in price from $15 a bottle to thousands per bottle depending on the producer, appellation, vineyard location, vine age and rarity. Today’s example is crafted from 100% Syrah from prized old vines. However, it is important to note that the Saint Joseph AOC allows producers to add up to 10% white wine, from Roussanne or Marsanne varietals, to their red wines although most do not. Saint Joseph is a long and thin appellation on the western side of the Rhône River; the delineated area lies just west of the famous hill of Hermitage and south of Côte Rotie. One producer I have always loved, who consistently delivers some of the most delicious and drinkable wines in the Northern Rhône, is Domaine Faury of Saint Joseph.

Domaine Faury makes several wines well worth seeking out, but their standout Saint Joseph, Vieilles Vignes, which translates to, “old vines,” provides particularly immense pleasure. The grapes were derived from vineyards that were first planted in 1937 and are on on some of the most prized terraces in Saint Joseph. Harvested entirely by hand and crafted out of care and tradition, 70% of the grapes are destemmed and the entire bounty is crushed by foot. Fermentation lasts between 15-20 days; the wine is then transferred to mostly large older wooden barrels for 15 months of maturing before it is bottled without fining or filtration. The result is a wine that delivers all the elegance and character of a great Saint Joseph with minimal intervention, which allows the purity of the old vines and distinctive soil to shine.