Domaine Faury Saint-Joseph Rhone, France 2019

Along the steep, narrow valley that traces the northern Rhône, the appellations of Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu and Saint-Joseph take their place among the great wines of France, and Domaine Faury is one of the region’s most artisanal producers. When Philippe Faury took over the domaine in 1979, the family was selling wine, peaches and cherries, and the bulk of their clientele was local. Over the years, Philippe increased their holdings to over 11 hectares and began to sell internationally. He shared his savoir faire with his son, Lionel. Since 2006, Lionel has taken over the reins, though father and son still work side by side. Every method they use encourages the grape towards greatness with the ultimate respect for its fragility.

Today we may (quite rightly) look at Saint Joseph as a rare and fine delicacy. Not long ago, however, most vineyards were sadly in disrepair, the glory of past centuries forgotten, with vines abandoned for fruit trees which sold for much more than the local wine. In fact, during the 1950s most Saint Joseph never saw the inside of a bottle, as full barrels tended to end up in the watering holes that surrounded the local mines. The Faury family was among the first to return to estate bottling and focus on the full potential of this incredible, one-of-a-kind terroir. These days, with the appellation’s glory reclaimed, each bottle of Faury carries the signature of pepper, spice, and fresh, bright black fruit.