Only one cuvee of St.-Joseph is produced. The 2010 St.-Joseph Les Vinsonnes comes from a hillside vineyard planted in granite soils above the tiny one-horse village of Mauves. Its deep ruby/plum/purple color is followed by aromas of strawberries, black cherries, powdered rock and bouquet garni. Medium-bodied with abundant fruit and light tannin, this impressively made St.-Joseph should drink well for 7-8 years.
One of the superstars of Cornas is Domaine Alain Voge. In the top vintages, three cuvees are made, but in most years only two are produced, Vieilles Vignes and Les Chailles, from Voge’s 15 plus acres of Syrah planted on the decomposed granite slopes of Cornas. He also produces small quantities of St.-Joseph and as many as four cuvees of white wine from St.-Peray, including a sparkling white. The family has 10 acres of vines in this appellation, planted with 95% Marsanne and 5% Roussanne. Voge is also a leader in producing serious white wines from the up-and-coming micro-appellation of St.-Peray. I did not taste the sparkling white Voge and his brilliant assistant, Albert Mazoyer produce, but readers seeking a top white wine need look no further than Voge’s Fleur de Crussol. The real glories at Voge are his extraordinary offerings from Cornas. The three 2010 Cornas represent the pinnacle of Voge’s winemaking. They are the finest wines I have yet tasted from this estate (and I’ve been tasting their wines since the late seventies).
Importer: Citadel Trading Corp., New York, NY; tel. (212) 245-2844