Philippe Desbos is the most genuine of genuine articles. A true-blue vigneron. Probably the most modern equipment he has are the mechanical winches he uses for plowing some of his steepest parcels, which sit high above the Rhône in Saint-Jean-de-Muzols—a village of renown in the northern part of Saint-Joseph, thanks in part to Desbos’ neighbor, the retired legend Raymond Trollat.
Today’s wine, from Desbos’ oldest vines, is the third vintage in a row being offered on SommSelect, and it’s as transcendent as the previous two. For my money, Domaine DeGouye is one of the most exciting estates in the entire northern Rhône, producing wines that compare more than favorably to greats from Hermitage, which is almost directly across the river and visible from Desbos’ driveway. Whether it’s treading grapes by foot or using a 19th-century vertical press, Philippe is the ultimate in “old school” and his wines are both pure and incredibly evocative: focused, mineral, perfumed, and loaded with energy. Like the wines of the great Jean Gonon, Saint-Joseph from de Gouye is investment-grade wine, plain and simple. For lovers of this grape and place, it is a must.
It bears repeating that De Gouye is a neighbor of Raymond Trollat. Those of you who follow Rhône wine closely may know that Trollat (who has turned over the farming of his prized vineyards to Gonon) is considered royalty in this region. More than a few American sommeliers and winemakers have made the pilgrimage to meet Trollat, and when we visited a few years ago, we asked Desbos about him. Philippe pointed downhill to a vineyard crowned by a single tree—That’s Trollat right there, he indicated, and not long thereafter we were in Trollat’s kitchen, where he and his wife treated us to a few glasses of wine and an unforgettable moment.
What we learned, and have confirmed many times since, is that Saint-Jean-de-Muzols is a special place. It’s one of a handful of spots that elevate the supposedly ‘lesser’ Saint-Joseph appellation to a level on par with Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage. For one thing, all Saint-Joseph is not created equal: The appellation was extended to nearly 40 miles in length in 1969, causing total vineyard acreage to jump from 240 to 2,900 overnight. The variability of the region’s vineyards is significant. But, as Eric Asimov
noted in the
New York Times, Saint-Jean-de-Muzols is one of the ‘original’ villages of the Saint-Joseph AOC, along with a handful of others clustered on the west side of the Rhône opposite Tain l’Hermitage. This is prime territory for the best expressions of Syrah, thanks to high elevations and soils that are largely granitic with patches of limestone—far superior to the clayey soils found at the base of the hills.
Desbos’ Saint-Joseph comes from a south-facing, seven-acre plot of 50-year-old vines at about 1,000 feet elevation. With the help of a plow horse (and those winches), they till the vineyard rows and follow strict sustainable practices until harvesting by hand. After grapes are hand-harvested, sorted, and foot-trod, they’re transferred ancient wood and block press. Indigenous yeasts trigger a whole-cluster fermentation and then the wine is rested in old, neutral French barrels for 16 months. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered, and the result is reliably stunning, especially at this price.
This 2017 Saint-Joseph is an inky ruby in the glass, with hints of magenta at the rim. It is densely packed with aroma and flavor, from black raspberry, boysenberry, red and black cherry, and licorice to wild herbs, warm spices, roasted meat, cracked pepper, coffee grounds, and leather. It is medium-plus in body, moving towards full, with loads of freshness keeping it on the bright side, and while there’s structure for 10-15 years of aging, it drinks awfully well right now, too. Decant it 30-60 minutes before serving in large Bordeaux stems at 60-65 degrees. There’s always the temptation to cook lamb when a textbook Northern Rhône Syrah like this is on the table, so what the heck, let’s do it! This is a truly impressive wine that merits a little extra effort in the kitchen, so grab an apron, download the attached recipe, and get to work—it’ll be worth it, believe me!
