Saint-Joseph Le Paradis Saint-Pierre Pierre et Jérôme Coursodon 2011

Lot presentation

Saint-Joseph Le Paradis Saint-Pierre Pierre et Jérôme Coursodon 2011

The wine

The Syrah grapes are grown in shallow granitic soil on steep southerly slopes. They are sustainably cultivated, and harvested by hand. The wines are macerated and fermented in open vats for nearly 3 weeks, and are punched down two or three times a day. The wine is then matured for 15 months in barrels and demi-muid casks. The purple colour is deep and elegant. The bouquet exudes intense aromas of small red berries, violet and spices. The vinification process ensures a dense, complex, robust wine. Such substance and fullness make this a real wine for drinking with good food; it can be enjoyed with boar stew, for example.

Established at the end of the 19th century by Jean-Auguste Coursodon, Domaine Coursodon has been in the same family for generations and has practised sustainable farming for several decades. Its 16.5 hectares of vineyards, all within the Saint-Joseph appellation, are cultivated for both red and white Saint-Joseph wines (14 hectares red and 2.5 hectares white). In addition, 2.5 hectares lie outside the appellation, to produce a Viognier, bottled as Vin de France, a chance for the winemaker to showcase his full expertise. Most of the vines are located in Mauves, the cradle of the appellation, with further plots in neighbouring villages such as Tournon and Saint-Jean-de-Muzols. Divided into around ten plots, the vineyard draws on a rich terroir of granite soils ideally suited to Syrah, but equally to Roussanne and Marsanne.
Today, Jérôme, the fifth generation of the family, runs the estate and crafts elegant wines of great finesse. As he explains, tending the vines is no easy feat, with the steep slopes often posing challenges. The berries are harvested by hand and carefully sorted several times before vinification, which is adapted to on a plot-by-plot basis. The red grapes undergo cold maceration, with pump-overs and punch-downs carried out several times a week. The wines, both white and red, are aged for a year in oak casks.
Discover a leading family from Saint-Joseph (Silice, Paradis Saint Pierre, l'Olivaie, la Sensonne) whose wines embellish the reputation of this appellation, too often overshadowed by neighbouring Hermitage and Condrieu.