Domaine Georges Vernay - Saint-Joseph 'Terres d'Encre' Red 2023

Grape

100% Syrah

Tasting notes

The 2023 Domaine Georges Vernay Saint-Joseph 'Terres d'Encre' is a deep, vibrant Northern Rhône Syrah, offering aromas of dark berries, violets, and black pepper. The palate is medium-bodied and fresh, showing juicy black fruit, fine tannins, and a cool mineral finish.

100% Syrah from 30-year-old vines on granite terraces in Chavanay. Fully destemmed, fermented in stainless steel, and aged for 12 months in seasoned oak barrels with no new wood. Farming is certified organic.

The nose shows dark cherry, blackberry, violet flowers, licorice, and fresh black pepper. The palate is juicy and vivid, medium-bodied, with crisp acidity, fine-grained structure, and a lingering savory black-olive finish.

More About The Winery

Domaine Georges Vernay is one of the oldest and most famous estates in Condrieu. Georges highly contributed to the reintroduction of Viognier on the hillsides of the region when in the 1960's the appellation used to cover only 8 hectares.

Georges Vernay's pioneering work single-handedly rescued Condrieu from near-extinction — at the time, barely eight hectares remained under vine in the entire appellation. Today the domaine is managed by Georges’ daughter Christine and her husband Paul. The vineyard covers 8 hectares in Condrieu, 2.5 hectares in Côte-Rôtie and 1.5 hectares in Saint-Joseph, with the rest located in IGP Collines Rhôdaniennes and Côtes-du-Rhône.

For over 20 years, Christine Vernay has used organic farming methods, considering herself the custodian of a land for which she is responsible for caring. Under her stewardship, the domaine is regarded as the definitive reference for Viognier, while its Côte-Rôtie and Saint-Joseph bottlings have earned equal acclaim for their purity and refusal to over-oak, letting each terroir speak for itself.