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54 St-Joseph Rouge AC 2007
Pierre GononGrape:100% Syrah (13% alc.)
60-90 year old vines from Saint-Jean-de-Muzols provide a real backbone to this wine. The Gonons destalked 15% in 2007 and trod the grapes down twice a day during the fermentation in open top wooden vats. They have produced a perfect example of northern Rhône syrah, with black fruits cut through with an irony grip from the granitic soil. The 2007 has delectable fruit and is already showing well. For drinking now to 2016+.
Technical Information Winemaker: Pierre & Jean Gonon Location: Vines from Mauves, Tournon & St Jean de Muzols Size of
domaine:7½ hectares (5½ red) Grape: 100% Syrah - 10-100 years old on 3309 root stock. Selection massale from their own vineyards. No clones. Average vine age is now over 38 yrs. Vine density 6,500 to 9000 per hectare. Trained gobelet using stakes Terroir: Very steep, terraced vineyards on the west bank of the Rhône at 120 metres and 300 metres above sea level with South/South-East exposition. Soil of decomposed granite and calcareous limestone on granite bedrock. Depth of soil -20cms and 1.3 metres. Harvest later than most (1 week later than Gripa). Viticulture: Incredibly hard manual labour working 60° hillside vineyards. De buds and green harvests depending on the vintage conditions. No herbicides or pesticides but uses a tisane of nettles etc. Sulphur to treat oidium. Natural compost in the winter if required. Ploughs the soil. Manual harvest. Yield between 32 and 39 H/H. Vinification: Pneumatic press. Press wine added back. Destalked according to ripeness of year: in 02 – 90% 03 – 30% 04 – 60% 05- 25% and 06 -40% Natural yeasts and fermented in open top wooden vats and concrete tanks, 2 pigeages for 3 days by foot during the alcoholic fermentation and then 1 pigeage per day during cuvaison. One remontage per day during fermentation. 32/33°C max temperature of fermentation. Seven day alcoholic fermentation followed by 18/21 day cuvaison. Aged in fûts, demi-muids (5% of which are new up to 50 years of age) and foudres. Racked twice, unfined and unfiltered. Bottled after 15 months élevage. Total production between 25,000 and 38,000 bottles. Press: