The Saint-Joseph vineyard sits upon the 45th parallel, planted on steep hillsides on the right bank of the River Rhône that have been carved into terraces since ancient times. It was a favourite on the French King's table. It was then known under the name ‘Vin de Mauves’ as a local village, and its name was derived from the colour ‘mauve’, purple in French. The monks in Tournon sur Rhône gave the wine its current name in the 18th Century. In the 20th century, the winemakers formed a union to protect the Saint-Joseph name, and in 1956, the Saint-Joesph appellation became official. The vineyard sits at 250 metres elevation on steep slopes with an average gradient of 45%. The 8-hectare plot was planted in 1998, and the vines thrive in granite soils which have degraded to
‘gore’, with bedrock outcrops in many parts of the vineyard. The vines are goblet trained on stakes with south-to-south-westerly exposure, yielding 25 to 35 hl/ha. The entire vineyard is certified organic and cultivated with respect for the soil and the living ecosystem. Viticulture is viewed as a long-term endeavour, a continuous quest to regenerate the environmental sphere, thus providing the means for terroir-driven fine wines to shine.