2019 SAINT-PÉRAY, Domaine du Tunnel. Northern Rhône

Saint Péray is a little known appellation, for white wines only, in the northern Rhône but at the south of that area, just below Cornas, west of the city of Valance.
The majority of the vines used for this wine are from (a relatively high) 250m altitude. This may explain the vitality and freshness in the final wine.

100% Roussanne, fermented in matured in a mix of steel vat and old oak barrel, for 9 months.

A very small Domaine built up by Stéphane Robert since 1994, when he was only 24. He and his wife Sandrine run a total estate of just 10 hectares, split between Saint Péray, Cornas and St Joseph. All vineyard work is done by hand, using a horse not a tractor.

Opulent but delicate – a good example of why Roussanne is just as interesting a grape variety as Viognier. If you are looking at ageability, it certainly has the upper hand.