2021 Domaine Monier Perreol, Saint-Joseph, Terre Blanche

Jean-Pierre Monier’s vibrant, soulful, and aromatic Saint-Josephs are perfect reflections of their respective terroirs. Monier’s vines sit high up on slopes looking down on the village of Saint-Désirat, which is on the northern, cooler-climate half of Saint-Joseph. Accordingly, the wines are not big, polished, modern affairs. They have old-school Northern Rhône gutsiness to them, but also pretty notes of crunchy berry fruit and flowers. It’s a style that’s won a lot of fans in recent years. Terre Blanche is a potent but fresh Syrah intended for aging. Complex and quite structured.