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Domaine Gonon, Saint-Joseph Rouge, Magnum

Northern Rhône, France 2013 (750mL)
$115.00
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Fruit
Earth
Body
Tannin
Acid
Alcohol
SommSelect

Domaine Gonon, Saint-Joseph Rouge, Magnum


There is something about the Syrah grape that is incredibly compelling. Many Sommeliers around the country would agree that the 5 famous wine appellations (AOCs) of the Northern Rhône have set the benchmark for this distinguished varietal. The red wines of Côte-Rotie, Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, Cornas and Saint-Joseph are all Syrah-based and differ in style because of the varying soil and microclimates of the region. When grapes from these storied sites are vinified by the world’s best producers, there is a purity and energy found that can’t really be put into words. Of all the top producers of Northern Rhône Syrah, the wines of Domaine Gonon are very fairly priced, and the fact you can experience a Syrah of this quality for about $50 is unreal.

The Gonon brothers are some of the hardest working vignerons I have ever met. Typically, farm workers are hired to do the laborious work on these steep terraces, however, these brothers do most of the difficult work themselves. They look like they spend 10 hours a day in the gym, no joking aside. The most sought after producer in the history of Saint-Joseph was Raymond Trollat, who retired in 2005. The Gonon family was very lucky to purchase many of his terraces, which are considered to be the best in Saint-Joseph, and these specific vineyard sites produce the grapes that are in today’s wine. The brothers farm these 9 hectares of vines completely naturally without use of any chemicals or fertilizers. The grapes are partially destemmed and fermented in large open vats then pressed into a mixture of used large foudre and 600 liter barrels for 14-16 months before being bottled unfined and unfiltered.

The 2012 Domaine Gonon Saint-Joseph is incredibly concentrated with a dark purple center moving to a magenta rim. The aromatics are absolutely stunning showing notes of wild blackberries, boysenberries, ripe black plum, black cherry, wild flowers, dried charcuterie, black olive and, wet earth and crushed rocks. On the palate the wine has beautiful ripe black fruits, wet purple flowers, wild herbs, meat and olive flavors with velvety tannins and an incredible freshness. The power and richness of this wine is nearly impossible to put into words. The wine is young now, however delicious, but this wine needs ten + years to show its potential. I would recommend not touching this wine for at least 3 more years, ideally 7-8 or more to really see how good this wine can get. If drinking young, please decant 2 hours and serve at about 60 degrees out of a Bordeaux stem. With more age only about 30 minutes is needed. The fact we were able to purchase a small amount of this wine is an honor for SommSelect. This is a highly allocated wine and we have to limit this to 4 bottles per customer.
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Country
France
Region
Northern Rhône
Sub-Region
FranceSaint-Joseph
Soil
Granite
Farming
Organic
Blend
Syrah
Alcohol
13.5
OAK
Neutral

France

Bourgogne

Beaujolais

Enjoying the greatest wines of Beaujolais starts, as it usually does, with the lay of the land. In Beaujolais, 10 localities have been given their own AOC (Appellation of Controlled Origin) designation. They are: Saint Amour; Juliénas; Chénas; Moulin-à Vent; Fleurie; Chiroubles; Morgon; Régnié; Côte de Brouilly; and Brouilly.

Southwestern France

Bordeaux

Bordeaux surrounds two rivers, the Dordogne and Garonne, which intersect north of the city of Bordeaux to form the Gironde Estuary, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The region is at the 45th parallel (California’s Napa Valley is at the38th), with a mild, Atlantic-influenced climate enabling the maturation of late-ripening varieties.

Central France

Loire Valley

The Loire is France’s longest river (634 miles), originating in the southerly Cévennes Mountains, flowing north towards Paris, then curving westward and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean near Nantes. The Loire and its tributaries cover a huge swath of central France, with most of the wine appellations on an east-west stretch at47 degrees north (the same latitude as Burgundy).

Northeastern France

Alsace

Alsace, in Northeastern France, is one of the most geologically diverse wine regions in the world, with vineyards running from the foothills of theVosges Mountains down to the Rhine River Valley below.

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