Domaine Bernard Gripa : Saint-Joseph 2023

Characteristics and Tasting Notes for Saint-Joseph 2023 Domaine Bernard Gripa

Tasting

Colour
The colour reveals a rather pale straw-yellow hue, enhanced by delicate golden highlights that reflect the fine maturity of the grapes.

Nose
The aromatic bouquet opens with generous notes of white-fleshed fruit, reminiscent of peach and apricot. It is then enriched with hints of honeyed orange, subtle floral nuances, and a mineral touch evoking crushed stone.

Palate
The palate stands out for its remarkable mineral tension, typical of its terroir. The well-defined acidity brings great freshness and vibrancy, avoiding any heaviness. The finish offers superb aromatic persistence and beautiful length.

Food and Wine Pairing

This white wine pairs wonderfully with creamy white-fleshed fish, such as pikeperch or pike, as well as grilled line-caught sea bass or turbot with beurre blanc. It also enhances a veal blanquette, a morel risotto, or lightly spiced dishes such as a mild chicken curry or saffron scallops. When it comes to cheese, favour pressed cooked cheeses or creamy goat's and sheep's milk cheeses.

Serving and Cellaring

This Saint-Joseph 2023 has fine ageing potential and will continue to develop favourably over the coming years.

The elegance and mineral tension of a Saint-Joseph white wine

The Estate

The Gripa family's winemaking history in the Rhône Valley dates back to the 17th century, but it was in 1974 that Domaine Bernard Gripa truly came into being when Bernard decided to bottle his wines under his own name. Located in Mauves, this sixteen-hectare estate has been run since 2001 by his son, Fabrice Gripa. The domaine stands out for its production, evenly split between red and white wines, a rarity in the region. Named winemaker of the year 2024, Fabrice crafts cuvées that combine tradition with technical precision.

The Vineyard

The vines intended for this Saint-Joseph white wine are on average around forty years old. They flourish on steep slopes facing south and south-east, composed of primary granite and gneiss soils. The steep terrain requires entirely manual vine work. A staunch advocate of sustainable viticulture, the estate uses no synthetic pesticides, favouring regular soil work and the addition of organic compost to preserve the natural balance of the terroir.

The Vintage

The year 2023 was marked by particularly uneven and complex weather conditions, with episodes of intense heat and storms at the end of summer. However, thanks to their privileged location and excellent exposure, the estate's plots were spared the harshest weather events, allowing grapes to be harvested with optimal maturity and fine balance.

Winemaking and Ageing

The making of this Saint-Joseph 2023 begins with careful hand-harvesting, followed by an extremely gentle pressing to extract the juice without bitterness. Fermentation takes place 80% in wooden barrels to add texture, and 20% in stainless steel tanks to preserve vibrancy. The wine is then aged on fine lees for eight to twelve months, with pumping-over and lees-stirring adjusted according to the desired profile.

Grape Varieties

80% Marsanne, 20% Roussanne.