Saint Joseph Blanc 2024 Monier Perréol | Rhône

Domaine Monier Perréol 's Saint Joseph blanc is a continuation of the fundamental work the wine estate has been doing for over twenty years, focusing on the purest expression of the Rhône's granite terroir. On the granitic slopes overlooking the Rhône Valley, where granite outcrops beneath loess, Marsanne and Roussanne combine to create a balance of texture and freshness. A pioneer in biodynamic viticulture, Domaine Monier Perreol crafts a wine that is faithful to the singularity of the place, whose purity of expression rivals that of the great white wines of the Northern Rhône. Meticulous, no-input plot-by-plot viticulture is followed by a whole-bunch harvest by hand, and an unusual winemaking process. Whole bunches of Roussanne are left to macerate in freshly pressed Marsanne juices, adding a subtle tannic nuance and extra depth to the wine. Subsequent ageing in stainless steel vats is designed to preserve the freshness and clarity of the fruit, delivering a white Saint Joseph of remarkable clarity.

Philippe Mischler, sommelier at Mundovin : Domaine Monier Perréol 's white Saint Joseph is as expressive as it is balanced, with an extra touch of delicacy and sensitivity that gives it soul. The wine retains a measured density, without losing the liveliness typical of the granitic hillsides of the Northern Rhône Valley. There's a precise tension, a natural balance between the maturity of the terroir and the freshness of tank ageing. A white Saint Joseph of elegance and refinement par excellence!

The nose opens with aromas of ripe white fruit, enhanced by a fine touch of citrus. Subtle floral and mineral notes of white pepper and damp chalk reveal the granitic identity of the terroir, and beckon.

The palate follows the same line of balance and tension. The aromas of white fruit and fine spices are fresh and precise, carried by spinning acidity and the energetic tension of a saline grain. The very fine tannins derived from the Roussanne infusion provide a delicate foundation and extend the tasting to a fresh finish, where the minerality of the granite finds a vibrant echo.