Domaine des Hauts Châssis Saint-Joseph ‘…..?’ 2020

Why is this Wine so Yummy?

Grape variety : 100% Syrah.

Appellation : AOP Saint-Joseph.

Terroir : The vineyard is mainly planted in terraces with fairly steep slopes which is decisive for the sun exposure and for drainage. The soil is mainly granite but the different variations have an influence on the production. The northern zone is soft gneiss rock and granite on the slopes, some piedmont and plains while the southern zone of Tournon is composed of light acid calcareous clay and complex granite. The wide variety of the soil in this appellation gives typicity to the wine allowing the three grape varieties to draw the necessary nutrients they require to bloom.

Vine age : 20 – 40 years. Yielding 38HL/ha = Very Low.

Winemaking process : Manually harvested and sorted directly at the vineyard. De-stemmed before vatting for cold pre-fermentation (6-8°C) for 3 to 4 days, fermentation at 26 – 28°C before warm post-fermentation (27°C) for 15 to 20
days, then ageing in half-barrels (300l) or 400l of 1 to 3 wines for 12 months (malolactic fermentation in barrels).

About Domaine des Hauts Châssis

Domaine des Hauts Chassis is located in the south of the Crozes-Hermitage appellation. The estate is 17 hectares spread across Crozes, Condrieu, Hermitage, St Peray and St Joseph. Franck Faugier took over the family estate and has been vinifying since 2003.

He is the fourth generation of his family to tend to their vines in the commune of La Roche-de-Glun in Crozes-Hermitage, however all the previous generation sold their grapes to either Paul Jaboulet Aîne or the Tain Cooperative. All of Franck’s 12 hectares of vineyards are on the stony soils of Les Chassis, one of the most prized plots of land in all of Crozes-Hermitage.

In the Vineyard

Having been growers for so many generations the Domaine has a collection of excellent vineyards and Lieux-Dits in Crozes-Hermitage and Saint-Joseph.

“From the vine to the cellar, it is the respect of the fruit and of the vine that we support : work of the ground, supervised control, grape harvest in green, manual stripping, manual grape harvest, picking off, treading during the wine making, and a controlled maturing in order to offer you all the pleasure of the fruit and the complexity of the Syrah.”

The vineyard shot of the Les Chassis vineyard below shows just how many large pebbles, Galets, cover the southern sites of Crozes-Hermitage.

In the Winery

Manually harvested and sorted directly at the vineyard. De-stemmed before vatting for cold pre-fermentation (6-8°C) for 3 to 4 days, fermentation at 26 – 28°C before warm post-fermentation (27°C) for 15 to 20
days, then ageing in half-barrels (300l) or 400l of 1 to 3 wines for 12 months (malolactic fermentation in barrels).

Where in the World are They?

Crozes-Hermitage rest in the Northern Rhône above Hermitage with additional holdings in Saint-Jospeh.