"An excellent example of white Saint-Joseph from the Northern Rhône; this is very aromatic, with floral notes combining with ripe peach and a touch of brioche on the nose. Richly textured, but beautifully balanced on the palate with a refreshing finesse on the finish. Marsanne 97%, Roussanne 3%"
Domaine Courbis dates from the 16th century and has been handed down from father to son since the start of the 20th century. It is now under the dynamic partnership of two brothers: Laurent, who is responsible for winemaking, and Dominique who looks after the 35-hectare vineyard. The estate includes eight hectares in Cornas, five hectares in Saint-Joseph Blanc and 19 hectares in Saint-Joseph Rouge, in the communes of Châteaubourg and Cornas. The vines are planted on steep granite hillsides and their polished wines are wonderful examples of modern vinification blended with traditional viticulture and top-quality terroir. The Domaine Courbis wines are of extremely high quality and are consistently met with worldwide acclaim.
The vineyard is located approximately eight kilometres from Tournon. It comprises five hectares situated to the southern end of the estate, on south east facing, steep slopes. This exposure optimises maturation in the grapes, while the steep slopes offer natural drainage. The vines are planted in clay and limestone soils; the clay component has excellent water retention properties to nourish the vines through the warm summers while the limestone is renowned for imparting an elegant freshness to the wine.
The grapes were manually harvested at optimum maturity. They were immediately pressed, racked and fermented at low temperatures of 16 to 17°C in stainless steel vats to retain the purity of fruit. 30% of the harvest was fermented in new barrels, adding complexity and an attractive spicy note to the flavour profile along with a supple texture.
