Saint-Joseph Caroline Louis Cheze (Domaine) 2018

Lot presentation

Saint-Joseph Caroline Louis Cheze (Domaine) 2018

The wine

Caroline embodies the power of the Syrah grape used exclusively in the production of this wine. The 40-year-old vines run the length of a parcel located above the granite slopes of Brèze at an altitude of 300m. Sustainably farmed, they are sorted twice: in the vineyard and in the winery. The grapes are fully destemmed, crushed and macerated before fermentation in low-volume thermoregulated vats, and the malolactic fermentation is carried out in barrels. The wine is then matured for 14 months in new casks (20%) and casks used two or three times before (80%), depending on the year. This garnet-red coloured wine delivers floral and delicate peppery notes. The wine is extremely full-bodied, with a long aromatic persistence at the finish. One for keeping a few years in the cellar before enjoying with grilled red meat.

Louis Chèze started his venture in 1978 with one hectare of vines in the Saint-Joseph appellation, on a hillside on the right bank of the Rhône in the commune of Limony. Since then, the domain has grown to 30 hectares, and owns vineyards in Saint-Joseph, Condrieu and more recently, on the other side of the Rhône on the hillsides of Seyssuel, opposite the Côte-Rôtie. Like François Villard, Yves Cuilleron and Pierre Galliard, Louis Chèze now cultivates vines on the remains of the ancient Roman vineyards there. The domain has a modern winery so the vinification process is as fine-tuned as it can be. Every cuvée is the outcome of a meticulous single parcel selection that allows the terroir and grapes to express themselves fully. As the wines are produced on a granite terrain they are very fresh, stylish and full of character. This Rhône Valley domain is growing in reputation.