La Souteronne 2023

Hervé Souhaut set up his domaine in 1993 and farms around five hectares of old vines in the northern Rhône, on the hill opposite Hermitage in the Saint-Joseph sector, with some plots reaching a hundred years of age. La Souteronne is a monovarietal Gamay grown on the granite slopes of the area, where the decomposed rock is light and free draining and keeps the wine fresh and finely framed rather than heavy. Souhaut works as a natural winemaker, extracting only gently so the wine is approachable young and showing the fruit without the weight of long élevage. Fermentation runs on native yeasts with little intervention in the cellar. The result is a vivid, gluggable red of real charm. It is bright ruby in the glass, with aromas of raspberry, red cherry and violet over a savoury, peppery base and a stony lift from the granite. The palate is light bodied and juicy, with soft tannins and a fresh, mineral finish. Serve it lightly chilled, around 13 to 14 degrees, in a Burgundy glass. It suits charcuterie, roast pork and roast chicken.