Saint-Joseph; Domaine Pierre Gonon and Domaine Barou!
7/16/13 -
(Pierre Gonon)
Today's New York Times contains an excellent article by Eric Asimov on the wines of Saint-Joseph featuring the work of Jean and Pierre Gonon at their wonderful estate in Mauves, and the efforts of Jean-Louis Chave to recreate the family's lost vineyards. "This vineyard feels as ancient as the crumbling granite underneath, a place where earth, climate, altitude and exposition come together with faith, hope and the sweat of humanity past, present and future. What it says about history, heritage and culture represents much of what I love about wine, which has a story to tell, in a voice that invites both contemplation and pure pleasure." We couldn't agree more. Wine is a product of history and culture as much as of grapes, and the work of growers like the Gonons continues and improves upon the work of their ancestors in a way that is inspiring and - well - delicious. The Gonons are modest, warm and hard-working people who are in the vineyard everyday and take great pride in their work. "We are lucky" says Jean Gonon; "people are buying our wines." We are fortunate to receive an allocation from the Gonons each year - the wine offered today will arrive in late September. (6 bottle maximum, please; 10% discount applies when purchased as part of a case.)
Alexis Barou converted his estate to organic agriculture back in 1975 as he didn't find as much flavor in his cherries once they had been sprayed. His son Emmanuel, with wife Agnes, currently have about 3 hectares in Saint-Joseph, 1 hectare in Condrieu and 6 hectares of Vin de Pays in Charnas from which they produce elegant, unforced traditional wines - along with delicious organic cherries and apricots. Their farming is exemplary, using their own compost, keeping the soil covered, plowing as little as possible and avoiding even the organic treatments against mildew, as they can harm soil fauna. The Saint-Joseph parcels are in Limony, on de-composed granite, and Charnas, on stone covered firm granite. The Condrieu vineyard is on a steep south-facing granite slope with clay soil. "This is a name to watch" says Livingstone-Learmonth in "Wines of the Northern Rhône," "the domaine is emerging as a sound address for carefully made, natural wines." -DL
