Saint-Joseph Ro-Rée Louis Cheze (Domaine) 1998

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Saint-Joseph Ro-Rée Louis Cheze (Domaine) 1998

La «cuvée»

Produced since 1990, this cuvée is a blend of Marsanne and Roussanne grapes from 15 to 40 year-old vines, whose yields are limited to 30 hl/ha. The Roussanne grapes are grown on hillsides, and the Marsanne in granite soils. They are grown sustainably and harvested by hand. The grapes are sorted in two passes: a first time on the vine, and a second upon arrival at the winery. The winemaking process involves pressing, settling, alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in barrique barrels with lees stirring. Maturation takes place over 8-10 months in new barrels and in barrels used 2-3 times before. The wine is then bottled without filtration. This white Saint-Joseph has a pretty straw-yellow colour, a floral, honeyed nose and a very creamy, full-bodied palate. As it ages, it delivers tertiary notes of toast.

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.