Domaine Coursodon - Saint Joseph Blanc Le Paradis Saint Pierre 2019

"95% Marsanne and 5% Roussanne brought up in barrel. Rich, concentrated, and powerful, with lots of honeyed peach, toasted bread, hazelnut, white flowers, and spice aromas and flavors, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered texture, solid underlying freshness, and a blockbuster of a finish." Jeb Dunnuck

Jérôme Coursodon, with his father Pierre alongside, produces a stunning range of red and whites from the historic village of Mauves in the original sector of Saint-Joseph. When the Saint-Joseph appellation was established in 1956, it consisted of six communes (Mauves, Glun, Tournon, St. Jean-de-Muzols, Vion, and Lemps), all dramatically steep slopes directly across the Rhône river from Hermitage, sharing the granite soil that makes up the terroir of the western “Les Bessards” section of that famous hill.

“Arriving in the village of Mauves from the south, one first passes Domaine Pierre Gonon, then Jean-Louis Chave and finally Coursodon, all within a few hundred yards of each other. It’s a stellar trio of vignerons to be sure, with Jerome Coursodon not at the same level of stardom as the others, but he’s not too far behind, either. For consumers, it’s a good opportunity to purchase some top-flight Saint-Josephs before price escalation sets in.” -Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate

The flagship white, the 2019 Saint Joseph Le Paradis Saint Pierre Blanc is 95% Marsanne and 5% Roussanne brought up in barrel. Rich, concentrated, and powerful, with lots of honeyed peach, toasted bread, hazelnut, white flowers, and spice aromas and flavors, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered texture, solid underlying freshness, and a blockbuster of a finish. It reminds me of a top Hermitage Blanc. I'd give bottles a year in bottle and then enjoy over the following decade, but I suspect it will evolve for much longer. (Drink between 2021-2032)