Thomas Farge Saint-Joseph Cote Du Pouly

Thomas Farge's Saint-Joseph Côte du Pouly is a single-site expression of Northern Rhône Syrah grown on granite soils in one of the appellation's most dynamic parcels. Ecocert-certified organic farming and extended maceration produce a wine that balances serious ripeness with the mineral precision that defines the region. This is a textbook example of why Saint-Joseph has emerged as one of the Rhône Valley's most compelling values for Chicago collectors seeking age-worthy French reds. Thomas Farge works a small family domaine in the heart of Saint-Joseph, farming sustainably on the steep granite slopes that give the appellation its backbone. The Côte du Pouly vineyard sits on pure decomposed granite, which imparts the characteristic stony minerality and floral lift to Northern Rhône Syrah. Farge uses a pre-fermentation cold soak to coax color and aromatics, then extends maceration for gentle extraction before aging the wine for twelve months in a mix of older 400-liter barrels and a 3,000-liter foudre. The final two months in tank allow the wine to integrate and settle before bottling. The nose delivers explosive blackberry and elderberry fruit, but the palate is anything but heavy—concentrated and focused, with a coolness that tempers the ripeness and a fine-grained tannic structure that's confidently dry. The finish is breathtakingly stony and spicy, a hallmark of granite-grown Syrah. This is a wine that works now with grilled lamb, duck breast, or anything coming off a wood fire, but it will also reward five to seven years of cellaring if you're inclined to wait. Open it an hour ahead or decant if drinking young. Available for pickup at our Lincoln Park bottle shop at 1128 W Armitage Ave, local Chicago delivery, or nationwide shipping.