Saint-Joseph AOC
Summary
A long appellation almost running the entire Northern Rhône. This area has been ambitiously expanded, with boundaries controversially extended to flatter areas in 1994. The focus is mainly on red wines, but there are also full-bodied, dry white blends produced. Wines are lighter and shorter lived compared with other areas of the Northern Rhône, due to sites predominantly having an east facing exposure. Areas with warm soils containing granite and gravel give conditions for grapes to achieve greater ripeness. Wines have a range of quality and prices.