2021 Saint-Joseph Rouge “L’Instinct”
Domaine Jolivet
A classic interpretation of this great terroir for Syrah, fermented whole-cluster and aged in the traditional larger cask of the region, the demi-muid, 2021 has the added bonus of coming from a classic throwback vintage with slightly cooler average temperatures. It is a real-deal northern Rhône roasted-slope Syrah that walks the tightrope perfectly between creamy fruit, meaty tannins, and fresh spine—another great one for the cellar if you can keep your hands off it!
—Dixon Brooke
| Wine Type: | red |
| Vintage: | 2021 |
| Bottle Size: | 750mL |
| Blend: | Syrah |
| Appellation: | Saint-Joseph |
| Country: | France |
| Region: | Northern Rhône |
| Producer: | Domaine Jolivet |
| Winemaker: | Bastien Jolivet |
| Vineyard: | Planted in 1960-67, 1997-2010, 2015; 6.5 ha |
| Soil: | Granite |
| Aging: | Aged for 12 months in 500L demi-muids, 5% of which are new |
| Farming: | Organic (practicing) |
| Alcohol: | 12.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
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About The Producer
Domaine Jolivet
Our latest discovery from Saint-Joseph comes from the talented hand of young Bastien Jolivet, working his family’s vineyards in the hamlet of Saint-Jean-de-Muzols. Bastien inherited the family domaine in 2014 from his father, who sold the grapes from their five hectares to the local cooperative. But Bastien set his sights higher, eager to turn the family’s holdings into domaine-bottled, terroir-driven Saint-Joseph. In only his first decade running the winery, Bastien expanded the property to 13 hectares in total, which he works organically. The winery sits at the base of a very steep and terraced hillside where many of his Saint-Joseph vines sit. In the rare moments when Jolivet is not outdoors tending his vines, he shows a magical touch in the cellar. He has made huge strides since he began in 2014 and his wines are getting better every year. He is poised to be a rising star of the appellation.
More from Northern Rhône or France
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Barruol / Lynch France | Northern Rhône
2023 Saint-Joseph Blanc “Clef de Sol”
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2022 Condrieu
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2021 Saint Joseph Rouge “Les Ribaudes” MAGNUM
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2022 Saint-Joseph Rouge “Châtelet”
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Where the newsletter started
Where the newsletter started
Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch