2023 Domaine Pierre Gonon

8/25/25 - 

Due to the generosity of the 2023 vintage, for the first time in many years, we are able to offer to our email subscribers a small quantity of the beautiful Saint Joseph Rouge and the IGP Ardèche Rouge "Les Iles Feray." (Jean Gonon noted that 2023 is the 20th vintage we have offered at Chambers Street, beginning with the 2004!) 
3-bottle limit on Saint-Joseph Rouge, 2-bottle limit on "Les Iles Feray," please.
 
These are indeed special wines in a deep and subtle, not point-score sort of way, which comes of course from the intelligence and character of the two brothers and their intense pride in what they do. (Jean and Pierre took over from their father, Pierre, in 1989)  The key elements perhaps being the beautiful farming and care in the vines, the complete absence of clonal selections, great care at harvest, wild-yeast fermentations with minimal extractions, no new oak, and of course great terroir including the Raymond Trollat vines in St. Jean de Muzols. (We are reminded of the work of the Gonon's friends, Matthieu and Bernard Baudry in Chinon.)
 
 “Les Iles Feray”1987-88 Syrah from the plain, Les Rivoires, plus young Saint-Joseph Syrah vines on slopes, ends of rows, the end of the St-Joseph press, "the St Jo wine we don’t consider merits going into the main St Jo red", 40-80% destemmed, pumping overs, aged used 600-litre casks 10-12 months. 
 
Saint-Joseph Rouge: Syrah (av age 45 - 50 years, oldest Syrah from 1915-1920 at St Jean de Muzols), includes Tournon vines from Les Oliviers, La Croix du Peygros, Côtes des Rivoires, 80% - 100% whole bunch fermentation, open vat 2-3 week vinification, wild yeasts, daily pumping overs, twice daily cap punching by foot, aged used 600-litre casks 13-15 months. Jean distinguishes the granite as follows: “the Saint-Jean granite is composed of very small particles, and isn’t as rich as the Tournon soil. The Tournon granite contains some mica and has larger grains, as well as some clay – it’s less degraded 
 
Notes on terroir: The particularity of Saint-Jean de Muzols is that its granite differs from that of Tournon immediately to the South – the rock is more decomposed, while the site is windy and cooler than neighbouring lieux-dits, bringing a cool tone to the red fruits and a fibre to the young tannins. Sainte-Epine is in fact the extension of "Les Bessards" on the West end of the Hermitage hill – the Rhône funnelled its way through these two hills having flowed behind the Hermitage hill millions of years ago.