Blog
From the margins of Saint Joseph
“The first time I tried Hervé Souhaut’s Syrah. It was one of my many awakenings to natural wine, and I remember grinning ear to ear and saying, ‘What is it that I am feeling/tasting/experiencing? Why am I so happy?!’” — Jenny Lefcourt, Importer
Though it’s a half-hour drive from St.-Jean de Muzols to Northern Ardèche, the craggy landscape makes Domaine Romaneaux-Destezet feel like it’s on the outskirts of Saint-Joseph, and the wines take on a similar lone-wolf character. Naturalist icon, Hervé Souhaut, was influenced early on by friends Marcel Lapierre in Beaujolais and Philippe Pacalet in Burgundy. He’s become a crowd favorite for his approachable, idiosyncratic Northern Rhône Syrah and Gamay.
Today, I'm happy to offer the 2019 Hervé Souhaut Syrah and La Souteronne Gamay, with rare back-vintages to 2005.
In the early 90s, Hervé and his wife, Béatrice, inherited a 16th-century fortified farmhouse surrounded by old-vine Rhône varieties and Gamay. Hervé turned to his friends Lapierre and Pacalet for guidance and adopted their practices; he farms according to organic and biodynamic principles and, in the cellar, works entirely with whole clusters, semi-carbonic maceration, and minimal sulfur. He delicately extracts the grapes to make wines with subtlety and finesse.
In Ardèche, La Souteronne Gamay comes from 60-to-80-year-old vines, and "Syrah" taps vines 10-to-100-yrs-old. The schist of Hervé's home is unlike anything in Saint-Joseph, with its sand-like granular texture falling through your hands. And, the Saint Epine Syrah comes from 100-plus-year-old vines in St.-Jean de Muzols.
All of the reds undergo long macerations at low temperatures. They're then fermented in wooden tanks and aged in old oak casks on fine lees for a minimum of eight months. Bottled with no filtration and 25ppm of sulphur.
What Hervé produces is still unashamedly Syrah, but it's shed some of its uptight inhibition. The 2019 Syrah is soft and generous, with varied hues of red fruit that interplay with cowhide, red dust, and velvety tannins. Sainte Epine is a bit more serious, though still lively as ever, and it's known for its bluer, brambly fruit, violet tones, and mineral streak. The region’s cool, rainy climate ensures their freshness over time; with some age, the grip and snap of acidity is toned down, and the fruit melds with more earth and funk.
“There’s Gamay in the Rhône?” I asked my colleague, Marc, when he poured the 2019 La Souteronne. “Beaujolais isn’t too far,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. He’s right. Actually, it’s a mere 60 km from Beaujolais to the French capital of Syrah. Wine writer Jon Bonné wrote that La Souteronne “remains a benchmark for not-Beaujolais Gamay,” just with an inflection of Rhône. The 2019 French Gamays I’ve had thus far have collectively shown a calm and collected gracefulness, and La Souteronne is no different.
Recent Articles
-
One Barrel of Blazing Bierzo March 03, 2021
-
Electric Slide to Côtes du Jura: François Rousset-Martin March 02, 2021
-
Old Guard Hermitage: Bernard Faurie March 01, 2021
-
Loire's Boldest Secret February 17, 2021
-
Burgundian Without Pretense February 17, 2021
Tags
- 1.5
- 1.5l
- 12
- 1954
- 1959
- 1961
- 1964
- 1967
- 1968
- 1969
- 1970
- 1973
- 19731978
- 1974
- 1976
- 1978
- 1979
- 1985
- 1988
- 1989
- 1990
- 1991
- 1992
- 1993
- 1994
- 1995
- 1996
- 1997
- 1998
- 1999
- 1er
- 1er cru
- 2000
- 2001
- 2002
- 2004
- 2005
- 2006
- 2007
- 2008
- 2009
- 2010
- 2011
- 2012
- 2013
- 2014
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 36
- 3L
- 4 Monos
- 5 ano
- 6 ano
- 6 pack
- 750
- 890
- 904
- a.j. adam
- abrossar
- accomasso
- Aglianico
- al
- alain
- albacete
- albahra
- albarin
- Albarino
- albe
- Albillo
- aldo conterno
- Alex Foillard
- alfonso torrente
- alicante
- alicante bouchet
- Aligote
- Allemand
- almonds
- Alsace
- alte
- alter holle
- Alto Piemonte
- alzinger
- Amarone
- Amity
- amphore
- Anjou
- anne boisson
- antle vineyard
- Antonio galloni
- antoniolo
- arbois
- Arbois-Pupillin
- arboreus
- argile
- Arinto
- arnot roberts
- Arnot-roberts
- asili
- atalier
- atoine foucault
- Aubert de Villaine
- Auguste Clape
- auslese
- austria
- austrian
- aux combottes
- Aux Malconsorts
- auxey duresses
- Auxey-Duresses
- avize
- avni
- ayler
- baby margaux
- back vintage
- Baden
- Baga
- bairrada
- balnc
- balthazar
- bandol
- Barbaresco
- Barbera
- barbera d'alba
- Barolo
- Barraida
- barrigards
- bartelemy
- Basque Country
- bassenon
- Basso
- bastardo
- batard montrachet
- Bates Ranch
- BB
- bea
- Beaujolais
- Beaujolais-Villages
- Beaune
- beauroy
- Beaux Bruns
- Beer
- Benanti
- benchmark
- benedict
- benje
- benje tinto
- bentrock
- bernard
- Bianco
- bienvenues
- bienvenues batard
- Bierzo
- bilbro
- bildstock
- biodynamic
- biondi
- blanc
- blanc de blancs
- blanco
- blau
- blonde
- Blot
- blue fruit
- Bockenauer
- boisson
- bonnes mares
- Bordeaux
- boudignon
- boudots
- boulay
- bourg
- Bourgogne
- bourgogne blanc
- Bourgogne Rouge
- Bourgueil
- bouschet
- Branco
- bressandes
- bretonniere
- Breze
- brovia
- BruEmm
- brunate
- brunate-Le coste
- brune
- Brunello
- Brunello di Montalcino
- brut
- brut nature
- bruyeres
- Buddha's Dharma
- bugundy
- bunker hill
- burguet
- Burgundy
- Cabernet Franc
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- california
- camino
- Campania
- Canary Islands
- canneyt
- cannubi
- cannubi (san lorenzo)
- Cappellano
- cappuccio
- Carignan
- carinyena
- carmenere
- caroline morey
- Carricante
- Cascina
- cascina franca
- Cascina Francia
- Cassis
- castell
- cava
- Caves San Joao
- celler
- ceps centenaires
- Cerasuolo di Vittoria
- cerbaiona
- cerrete
- certified
- cevins
- Chablis
- chache
- Chaillot
- chalk
- chambertin
- Chambeyron
- chambolle
- Chambolle Musigny
- Chambolle-Musigny
- Champ Gain
- Champagne
- champange
- champans
- champs gains
- chapelle des bois
- Chardonnay
- chardoonay
- Charlemagne
- charlie trotter
- charlopin
- Charmes
- charpentrie
- charvin
- Chassagne Montrachet
- chateau
- Chateau Chalon
- Chateau Thivin
- Chateauneuf-du-Pape
- Chavaroche
- Chave
- Chavignol
- Chehalem Mountains
- Chenas
- chenin
- Chenin Blanc
- Cherbaudes
- chevalier
- chevalier montrachet
- chevalieres
- chianti
- Chianti Classico
- Chichee
- chinato
- Chiroubles
- chiusa spagnolo
- Christiane
- Christoph Schaefer
- Cinque
- cinsault
- Ciro Picariello
- citrine
- Clairette
- Clape
- Classique
- clos
- Clos David
- clos de guichaux
- Clos de la Grand Coeur
- clos de la grand cour
- clos de la marchale
- Clos de la ROche
- Clos de la Roilette
- Clos de la Rue
- clos des aigrots
- clos des chenes
- Clos des Ducs
- Clos des Mouches
- clos du bourg
- Clos du Chapitre
- clos du chateau des ducs
- clos du roy
- Clos du Verseuil
- CLos Prieur
- clos rougeard
- Clos Saint-Joseph
- clos st. jacques
- Clos Vougeot
- Club de Cosechadores
- clusel roch
- co
- Coastal
- Coche
- Coche-Dry
- Colin
- collier
- Collines Rhodaniennes
- Collio
- collio goriziano
- Collita Roja
- Combe Aux Moines
- combottes
- complantee
- Comtes Lafon
- conterno
- contrada
- contrada barbabecchi
- contrada campo RE
- contrada feudo di mezzo
- contrada zottorinoto
- Corbieres
- Corison
- Cornas
- cornelissen
- cornu
- Corse
- Corsica
- Cortese
- corton
- corton-bressandes
- coste
- Cotat
- cote
- Cote Brune
- Cote de Brouilly
- cote de nuits
- Cote Rotie
- Côte-Rôtie
- Coteaux Bassenon
- coteaux champenois
- Coteaux de Dijon
- Cotes de Provence
- Cotes du Jura
- Cotes du Rhone
- coulee de serrant
- county
- CR
- Cras
- Crinquand
- crozes
- Crozes-Hermitage
- cru
- cry
- CS
- cuvee
- cuvee alexandrine
- cuvee reserve
- Cuvee Syrah
- Cuvee Tradition
- cuvee vigne alte
- d'alba
- D'Angerville
- Dagueneau
- dard
- Dauvissat
- dd
- de
- De Montille
- de valtuille
- del
- dervieux
- dessus
- dexter
- Di Co
- Di Costanzo
- Dogliani
- Dolcetto
- Dolomites
- domaine
- Domaine Chave
- Domaine de la Cadette
- Domaine de la Cote
- Domaine de la Cras
- Domaine du Bagnol
- domestic
- dominik Huber
- dominique
- Domprobst
- double magnum
- dry
- duc des nauves
- Dujac
- dutraive
- east block
- edmond
- Egon Müller Scharzhofberger
- Eichberg
- el rapolao
- electric
- eleven madison park
- emilien
- En Champans
- En Combe Roy
- en coteaux
- en reugne
- encinas
- enfield
- enfield wine co
- Eola
- Eola-Amity Hills
- eric
- estate
- Etna
- Evening Land
- experience
- extra brut
- Falanghina
- Farella Vineyard
- fass 12
- fass 7
- faury
- faviken
- fellom ranch
- Felseneck
- figari
- Fixin
- Fleurie
- folatieres
- Fontanasanta
- food tread
- for ross-seaview
- Foradori
- forest
- forets
- forjas del salnes
- fossati
- fourrier
- fox hill
- France
- francesco
- Francia
- franco fiorina
- Francomar
- frank
- Frappato
- Frauenberg
- frederic
- Freisa
- french laundy
- fresh
- freu
- fritz haag
- Friulano
- Friuli
- Frohlich
- Fronholz
- Frühlingsplätzchen
- fruity
- Fuoripista
- G.B. Burlotto
- Gamay
- Garnacha
- Gattinara
- Gaudry
- Gavi
- Genevieres
- Genevrieres
- gentaz
- gerard
- Germain
- German
- Germany
- gevrey
- gevrey chambertin
- Gevrey-Chambertin
- geyserville
- GG
- ghemme
- Ghislaine Barthod
- giacomo
- Gigondas
- Gilles
- ginger
- giulia
- giuseppe
- gnemiz
- godello
- gold standard
- Goldkapsel
- goliardo
- gonon
- Goulots
- Gour de Chaule
- Graach
- graillot
- Gramenon
- gran reserva
- Granato
- granbussia
- grance
- grand
- grand chaillot
- Grand Colline
- Grand Cru
- Grands Charrons
- Grands-Echezeaux
- Granite Terroir
- graviers
- Greco di Tufo
- Grenache
- Grenache Gris
- greves
- griffe de marquis
- Grille midi
- griotte
- Griotte Chambertin
- Griotte-Chambertin
- grolleau
- Grosjean
- Grotte Alte
- gruenchers
- gruner veltliner
- gruyaches
- guiberteau
- hajo
- halbtrocken
- Halenberg
- halgans
- Haro
- haut
- haut medoc
- haute-cotes de beaune
- Hautes cote de nuits
- hayne vineyard
- haynes
- haynes chardonnay
- hectare
- henri jayer
- hermitage
- Hermitage Blanc
- Hermtage
- heron lake
- Herve
- Hills
- hillsides
- himmelreich
- Hirotake ooka
- hommage
- hope well
- Hubacker
- hubert
- huet
- IGP
- IGT
- indiana jones
- italian
- Italy
- jaboulet
- Jacky
- jacques
- jamet
- jasmin
- jean luc
- jean michel stephan
- jean-marie
- Jean-Michel
- jeroboam
- jewel
- jj prum
- joao
- john lockwood
- joly
- Jose Pastor
- Joseph Drouhin
- Juge
- julian haart
- Jura
- kabinett
- Kallstadter
- Karthäuserhof
- Keller
- Kermit Lynch
- king
- kings vineyard
- kirschenmann
- Klaus Peter Keller
- koehler
- koehler-ruprecht
- Kronos Vineyard
- kupp
- kye
- l'esprit
- l'etonnat monsieur victor
- l;ultime
- La Baronne
- La Bidode
- La Charme Aux Pretes
- la charmes aux pretres
- La Chatelaine
- la chavaroche
- la claudrina
- la combe
- la del vivo
- la fresnaye
- la Geynale
- La Ghibellina
- La guiraude
- la landonne
- la madonne
- La Rioja Alta
- la ripaille
- la taille aux loups
- La Tournebride
- la vitoriana
- lafarge
- langhe
- Languedoc
- Late Release
- Lavaux Saint Jacques
- le chapitre
- le clos
- le coste
- le cupole
- le haut-lieu
- le macchiole
- le mesnil
- le mont
- Le Pied de la Rue
- le poutet
- le pur
- Le trame
- le trezin
- Leflaive
- Left Bank Bordeaux
- leroy
- Les Amoureuses
- les arboises
- Les Arvelets
- Les Barrigards
- les baudes
- les beaux regards
- Les Bons Batons
- les caillerets
- Les Cazetiers
- les chaffots
- les champs canet
- les champs perdrix
- Les Chapaudaises
- les chaumees
- les chevalieres
- Les Crais
- les cran
- Les Cras
- Les Fuees
- les grandes places
- les grands charrons
- Les Grands Epenots
- les longeroies
- Les macherelles
- les manyes
- Les Minots
- Les Mitans
- les monts fournois
- les motelles
- les moulins
- Les Pallieres
- Les Petits Monts
- Les petits Vougeots
- les peyrouses
- Les Pezerolles
- Les Referts
- les rieux
- Les Rougeots
- Les Rugiens
- Les Rugiens-Bas
- Les Sentiers
- Les Suchots
- Les Taillepieds
- Les Tillets
- les tosses
- Les Veroilles
- Lessona
- Levet
- library
- Lieu Dit en Papolet
- lieu-dit
- lignier
- Limestone
- limit
- lisbon
- listan blanco
- listan prieto
- little hill
- little hillwest block
- loibner
- loire
- Loire Valley
- Lopez de Heredia
- Lousas
- low sulphur
- lust
- lychee
- lytton springs
- Macabeau
- Macon
- magic
- Magma
- Magnon
- magnum
- mahle
- mailloche
- Mainin
- malbec
- Malvasia
- Manzoni Bianco
- Marc Roy
- margalagua
- margaux
- marl
- marsannay
- marsanne rousanne
- martinenga
- Mascarello
- Maxime
- Mazis-Chambertin
- mead ranch
- Mediterranean
- medoc
- Meix Chavaux
- Melon
- Melon de Bourgogne
- mencia
- mendocino
- Mercurey
- Merlot
- Mersault
- mes favorites
- messorio
- Meursault
- michel lafarge
- migan
- mimis mind
- mind bending
- mineral
- mix pack
- moccagatta
- Mondeuse Blanche
- monfortino
- monopole
- Montalcino
- montbenault
- Monte bello
- montee de tonnere
- Montee de Tonnerre
- montefico
- montevertine
- Monthelie
- montmains
- montrachet
- monttrachet
- monvigliero
- morey
- morey saint denis
- Morey-Saint-Denis
- Morgon
- Mosel
- mosel saar ruwer
- moulin de tricot
- Moulin-a-Vent
- mount carmel
- mount eden
- mountains
- mourvedre
- Muenchberg
- mugnier
- munjebel
- Muscadet
- musigny
- musingy
- Nahe
- napa
- Napa Valley
- narvaux
- native yeast
- natur
- Nebbiolo
- nerello
- Nerello Mascalese
- Nero d'Avola
- Nero di Lupo
- niellucciu
- no additives
- No Sulfur
- non-vintage
- north coast
- Northen Rhone
- northern California
- Northern Rhone
- Nosiola
- nouvelle R
- Nuits
- nuits saint george
- nuits saint georges
- Nuits-Saint-Georges
- NV
- oberberg
- Occhipinti
- off dry
- oger
- old vine
- Orange
- Oregon
- organic
- osso san grato
- Ostertag
- oubilee
- outis
- outlier
- Overnoy
- oyster
- PA
- palo blanco
- paolo
- paolo bea
- parcela novo
- parcela seoane
- Pardas
- Parr
- paso robles
- Passetoutgrain
- patchwork
- Patrick Baudouin
- pax
- pearl
- Peñafiel
- Penedes
- pergole torte
- pernand vergelesses
- perre
- Perrieres
- persan
- peter lauer
- peter martin ray
- petillant
- petit verdot
- Petite Arvine
- petite syrah
- Peyrouses
- Pezerolles
- Pfalz
- Pfersigberg
- pian del ciampolo
- pie
- Pie franco
- pie rupestris
- Piedmont
- piedmontese
- pierre
- pierre gonon
- pierre Yves Colin Morey
- Pietra Marina
- pigs stomach
- Pineau d'Aunis
- Pinot Grigio
- Pinot GRis
- pinot meunier
- Pinot Noir
- piuze
- Plaisir
- Ploussard
- Poco do Lobo
- Podere le Boncie
- Poignee de Raisins
- Pommard
- ponca
- porcaria
- porto
- Portugal
- poruzots
- poruzots-dessus
- Poulsard
- pre-phylloxera
- premier
- premier cru
- premier cry
- pretty horses
- priorat
- Produttori
- produttori del barbaresco
- Prousots
- Provence
- PT
- pucelles
- pugnane di castiglione
- Puligny Montrachet
- Puligny-Montrachet
- pulingy montrachet
- PYCM
- QBA
- qualitatswein
- R
- rabaja
- Raj
- Rajat
- Rajat Parr
- Ramonet
- raul perez
- ravera
- raymond
- red
- red blend
- reduction
- reflet d'Antan
- Regnie
- reiserva speciale
- remensis rose
- remi jobard
- Renaissance
- reserva
- reserve
- Reynard
- rheinberg
- rheingau
- Rheinhessen
- Rhone
- rias baixas
- ribeira sacra
- ribo
- Ribolla Gialla
- Ridge
- ried
- Riesling
- right bank
- rinaldi
- Rioja
- riserva
- roasted slope
- Robert michel
- roberto santana
- Roccalini
- rodchen
- rodrigo mendez
- romanee
- ronco
- rosae
- Rose
- rose-marie
- rosso
- rosso de veo
- rostaing
- Rouge
- Rougeard
- Roulot
- Rousanne
- Roussillon
- Rozeta
- RR
- rubicon
- rupestris
- ruprecht
- russian river
- ruwer
- Saar
- Sagrantino
- sagrantino di montefalco
- saint
- Saint Amour
- saint emilion
- Saint Esteph
- saint jacques
- saint joseph
- Saint-Aubin
- Saint-Joseph
- San Fereolo
- san lorenzo
- San Valentino
- San Zuan
- Sancerre
- Sanford
- Sangiovese
- sans soufre
- Santa Barbara
- Santa Cruz
- Santa Cruz Mountains
- Santa Rita Hills
- santenay
- Sashi Moorman
- Saumaged
- saumagen
- Saumur
- Sauvignon Blanc
- savagnin
- Savoie
- Schafer