Delas Freres Saint-Joseph 'Francois de Tournon' Rouge 2022

The ancient vineyards of Saint-Joseph, planted almost exclusively with Syrah, cover more than 600 acres on the right bank of the Rhône river. The vineyard stretches from Chavanay in the north, to Guilherand in the south – it covers 23 "communes" in the Ardèche region, and three in the Loire Valley. The grapes are planted in terraces on the rocky granite hillsides, where Delas selects only the best grapes for this cuvée. The "Francois de Tournon" is a blend of grapes from the terroirs of Vion, Saint-Jean de Muzols, Mauves and Tournon.

Exposure is south and south-east and the soils consist of light schist and gneiss over a granite bedrock. The climate is moderately continental, with hot and dry summers, and normal rainfall the rest of the year. The wine was reputed in the 16th century for its delicacy, and was poured at the table of the kings of France. It was the Jesuits (a monk community) of Tournon who gave the area its current name, in the 17th century. Between 1956 and 1969, all the vineyards from this area which used to be named Côtes du Rhône were regrouped and established under the appellation Saint-Joseph.