Jean-Baptiste Souillard is a micro-négociant based in the hills above Andance, crafting single-parcel wines from high-altitude, granite-rich sites across the Northern Rhône. Trained as an enologist, with time at Château Latour, Comte Armand, and a Cornas lab, he marries precision with a quiet, old-world reverence for place. Inspired by the Cistercian method, his philosophy is both technical and spiritual: one parcel, one wine, each cuvée a faithful expression of its origin. In recent years, his wines have quietly earned him a cult following among those seeking Rhône wines of depth and restraint. His reds are whole-cluster, savory, and structured for the long haul; his whites are shaped by early oxidation, minerality, and a fine thread of savory tension. These are wines that speak slowly, but with depth, clarity, and grace.
His Saint-Joseph comes from three small parcels planted in the early 1970s and 2000s, located in the communes of Sarras, Andance, and Saint-Pierre-de-Bœuf, each tucked into east-facing slopes at elevations between 250 and 300 meters. The sites share a granite base, but their altitudes and exposures lend the wine a clarity and tension that set it apart from broader, riper expressions of the appellation.
As always, Souillard’s cellar work is restrained and rooted in trust: 60 to 100% whole clusters, native yeast fermentation, and a long, slow maceration of 2–3 weeks with gentle pump-overs. Aging unfolds over 13 to 18 months in used barrels, with no fining, no filtration, and only minimal sulfur.
The result is a remarkably elegant Saint-Joseph, equal parts lift and depth. Aromatically, it leads with wild violets, cracked pepper, and savory herbs layered over red and blue fruit. On the palate, it’s dark-fruited but not heavy, with finely woven tannins and a streak of smoky minerality that lingers through the finish. It’s syrah in a distinctly Northern Rhône register, measured, structured, and quietly expressive. A standout in the lineup, and a compelling argument for Saint-Joseph as a site of nuance and finesse rather than power alone. In Souillard’s hands, it plays in a quieter key, one that reveals more with every listen.
...
These wines are pre-arrival with an estimated ship date of early fall. Your wines will ship as weather permits and the daily range is consistently between 45 and 74 degrees. Please note pre-arrival sales are non-refundable as suppliers require us to make binding commitments and deposits to secure the wine.
