E. Guigal 2020 Saint-Joseph Rouge

£19.90
Tasting notes
A soft (relatively) round Syrah full of spicy, red berry fruits. Ideal with lamb, hearty stews and hard cheeses.

Why we recommend this wine
We have always liked Saint-Joseph Syrah as a mid-point between Burgundy and Bordeaux both in weight and the time taken to mature, and this is an excellent example.

The wine
Stylistically, Saint-Joseph Rouge is more supple and gentler than Côte Rôtie and Hermitage. This regional Saint-Joseph Rouge is comprised of fruit grown in the area around Tournon and south to Mauves that is the true heart and origin of the appellation. Guigal’s vineyards are among the best in the appellation situated on hillsides with complex soils of decomposed granite that produce spicy and structured wines of 100% Syrah.

The wine estate
A relatively young wine estate in the region that was founded just after WWII, the third generation of Guigals is enhancing the great tradition of the estate both in quality and in the number of hectares under their control. Guigal say that their "methods of viticulture are always in keeping with an omnipresent respect for the environment. Moderate, controlled prevention against illness and vine parasites allows the grapes cultivated on the estate to reveal fully the complexity of the most exceptional terroirs of the Northern Rhône."
guigal.com

Food and wine
This wine has the fruit and weight to accompany all but the most heavy of meat dishes, roast root vegetables and hard cheeses. Also see our guide to pairing food and wine here.

Did you know?
The wines in this part of the Northern Rhone are grown on steep granite hillsides on the west bank of the Rhone river. The terraces involve really heavy manual labour to farm and maintain, so much so, that all but the best sites have been abandoned for greater or lesser periods.