Maison Les Alexandrins Saint Joseph Blanc - 2021
Description
A partnership between three winegrowers from the Rhône Valley – Nicolas Jaboulet, Guillaume Sorrel and Alexandre Caso – Maison les Alexandrins produces northern wines in a style at once contemporary and timeless, always from exceptional vineyards unearthed by Alexandre Caso, a specialist in the terroirs of the northern Rhône Valley. Classics with a twist, these wines and how they are aged and blended are guided by the quest for perfect harmony from a very young age. Our vines are located in Saint Jean de Muzols and Tournon.
Terroir
Saint-Joseph’s terroir is mainly granite. The slopes that rise above the Rhône face east/south-east.
The vintage
2021 was a winemaker vintage and required great responsiveness to very variable weather, comforting us in the pursuit of our good work in the vineyard. Winter was mild, followed by spring frosts before a dry mid-spring and then a cool summer with record rainfall. By stripping the leaves at the beginning of July, our grapes remained healthy. The harvest started in good conditions with the whites on September 13th in Brézème (-80% harvest due to frost), followed by Crozes-Hermitage and Condrieu. The summer conditions preserved a rare balance in our region. The Marsanne and Roussanne reveal freshness, minerality and precision, the Viogniers aromas of fresh fruit and a mouth full of finesse. For the reds, the lowland vineyards are full of indulgence with floral aromas and soft tannins. Finally, the granite terroirs reveal notes of pepper and spices and a rich palate.
Location
The Saint-Joseph vineyard stretches 40 km along the right bank of the Rhône on the 45th parallel, planted on steep slopes that were first terraced in Roman times. Once called “Vin de Mauves”, Jesuits in the 17th century gave it its current name. It achieved AOC status in 1956. At that time, it spilled into six villages (90 hectares). It was restructured in 1994 and now embraces 26 villages, covering an area of 1,330 hectares. The vineyard winds from Chavanay to Guilherand, connecting Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie in the north with Saint-Péray and Cornas in the south. Nowadays, the appellation is known for its red wines made from Syrah – simultaneously powerful and elegant – and, on a smaller scale, for its whites made from Roussanne and/or Marsanne grapes.
Process
For our first vintage, we wanted to make a balanced wine using grapes from the north of the appellation, to bring minerality and fruit, and berries from the historical centre of Saint-Joseph that add more flesh to the wine. The blend produces balanced, refined wines.
- Vinified in demi-muids (60-litre capacity barrels).
- Fermentation and ageing in demi-muids for 10 months.
Varietal
Marsanne : 100%
Tasting
Beautiful limpid dress with shiny reflections. This wine releases a nose full of freshness with seductive citrus aromas combined with a delicate toasted note reminiscent of the vinification in barrels of these very beautiful Marsanne’s. On the palate, the attack is frank, lively and tense and reveals the granite terroir which offers a very beautiful, slightly saline, minerality. The mouth continues all in length, with a subtle balance.
Food pairings
This wine will go wonderfully with grilled fish in a subtle lemony sauce.
Serving
Serve at 12°C. Drink within 3-5 years.