2017 Saint-Joseph

While it’s been great to watch the wine world lavish well-deserved attention, even adoration, on the work of brothers Pierre and Jean Gonon, it’s also bittersweet, as prices for their wines have ascended to the highest level of the appellation. A number of top-notch bottlings from historically more prestigious Cornas, Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage command lower prices and are more readily available. On top of that, Gonon’s Saint-Joseph has become an iconic wine of the northern Rhône. The wine creates a paradigm shift for its appellation. What should be the price for the most in-demand, not to mention scarce wine of a highly regarded appellation in a world-renowned region? All that aside, there’s no question that Gonon’s 2016s are world-class wines and the Saint-Joseph is a standout for the region in this outstanding vintage. It’s a wonderful example of just how graceful Syrah can be in the right hands and from a great terroir. All things considered, it’s still a very good buy.

The Gonon Saint-Joseph has become a hot commodity in recent vintages, with, unsurprisingly, higher and higher prices with the wine's increasing popularity. That said, such is the consistency and sheer quality of the wines that they still deliver great value. I’d happily pour it for comparison next to plenty of other northern Rhône bottlings that sell for two, three and even five times or more the price. The gregarious and frank Jean Gonon told me the 2016 reminds him a lot of the 2012 and 2014 vintage “but with more depth and intensity.” Like most of his neighbors, Gonon thinks it’s a vintage that will be deceptively long-lived but also approachable through most of its life “because the tannins are fine and integrated, not like a shell, which is the issue with 2015 and why those wines will need so much time.”