Tuesday, September 9, 2025 white wine review is an excellent Marsanne from the AOC Saint-Joseph Cru des Côtes du Rhône of the Northern Rhône Valley. It is brand new to the LCBO, arriving in last month's LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection as an Online & Flagship Exclusive, with quite a few bottles still available for purchase both online and in-store.
This white wine was borne out of a collaboration between two passionate créateurs and strong characters who are on a quest for refinement: Yannick Alléno & Michel Chapoutier. Yannick is a gifted, Michelin three-star chef, and true perfectionist. Yannick's cuisine reinvents tradition, while blending classicism with modernity. The world-renowned Michel is a pioneering and deeply committed Rhône Valley winemaker with very strong values. Michel is also an ambassador and campaigner for winemaking in general, and his wines reflect their terroir and reveal their truth. Both have a shared passion for the Rhône Valley.
Alléno & Chapoutier collaborated on their first wine in October 2010 — a Saint-Joseph Syrah from Tournon, a hillside vineyard which the two men had selected together, worked traditionally, and converted to biodynamic viticulture. The two men are lovers of the land and its produce, as well as creative and innovative trailblazers. They are driven by a love and respect for terroir, and when they met, a strong bond was instantly and naturally forged. The story has continued since that time as the passion for the Rhône Valley and its terroirs grows ever stronger.
The wines of Alléno & Chapoutier come from both Saint-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage, in the northern Rhône. The vines in Saint-Joseph are grown in the Chabot area, north of Tournon, between 240–310 metres elevation. The unique part of this land area is the rare type of soil found here: granite with low ferrous mineral content, and interspersed with layers of gneiss. The unique geological features in this area of Chabot produce unique red and white wines with elegance and powerful characteristics.
While the AOC Cru of Saint-Joseph is mostly known for its Syrah, the appellation also grows small amounts of Roussanne and Marsanne, with demanding producers seeking to produce only the best wines. This particular white wine is crafted with 100% Marsanne that was grown in a single vineyard on granite, southeast-facing slopes with excellent exposure to wind, in the southern part of the Saint-Joseph appellation, within the Chabot area. The soil type in this vineyard is made up of granite and granitic sand. The vines are 30 years old and were Gobelet pruned and trained on stakes in a traditional fashion. After hand-harvesting the grapes, they underwent fermentation using indigenous yeasts for 3 weeks in a 50/50 mix of 600 L barrels and stainless steel tanks, followed by bâtonnage (lees stirring) for 4 weeks. The wine was aged for 7 months on its fine lees in 600 L barrels. Final blending and maturing of the two portions took place in stainless steel tanks in order to preserve the wine's mineral expression.
The 2023 growing season in the Northern Rhône tested the resilience of wine producers. The season began on a dry note, followed by slightly warmer than usual temperatures. Rainfall arrived in mid-May, with moderate amounts of rain continuing to the end of June. Rain combined with slightly warmer temperatures led to persistent humidity and created the ideal conditions for mildew to develop. Signs of drought also appeared by mid-July. The vintage was also marked by a significant 16-day heatwave in early August, followed by a torrential downpour during peak harvest in September. Overall, the Saint-Joseph AOC generally delivered good results, with wines exhibiting elegance and restraint. Let's see how this 2023 Marsanne from Saint-Joseph in the Northern Rhône is tasting tonight...
Rare to see 100% Marsanne such as this. Lovely, elegant, medium-high intensity, and complex aromas of doughy, lemon oil, citrus, and baked pear, plus accents of vanillin oak spice and minerals. The dry, medium+ to medium-full bodied palate is rich and well-structured with lovely spice, lemon oil, citrus, pear, and vanilla flavours supported by fine, well-delineated, and juicy acidity. Exudes elegance with spice notes tapering to savoury, earthy, and stony minerals on the long, crisp finish, with excellent length. Highly recommended buy! Score: 93 pts
There are only seven wines in the Alléno & Chapoutier collaboration, and they can all be ordered through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.
This white wine was borne out of a collaboration between two passionate créateurs and strong characters who are on a quest for refinement: Yannick Alléno & Michel Chapoutier. Yannick is a gifted, Michelin three-star chef, and true perfectionist. Yannick's cuisine reinvents tradition, while blending classicism with modernity. The world-renowned Michel is a pioneering and deeply committed Rhône Valley winemaker with very strong values. Michel is also an ambassador and campaigner for winemaking in general, and his wines reflect their terroir and reveal their truth. Both have a shared passion for the Rhône Valley.
Alléno & Chapoutier collaborated on their first wine in October 2010 — a Saint-Joseph Syrah from Tournon, a hillside vineyard which the two men had selected together, worked traditionally, and converted to biodynamic viticulture. The two men are lovers of the land and its produce, as well as creative and innovative trailblazers. They are driven by a love and respect for terroir, and when they met, a strong bond was instantly and naturally forged. The story has continued since that time as the passion for the Rhône Valley and its terroirs grows ever stronger.
The wines of Alléno & Chapoutier come from both Saint-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage, in the northern Rhône. The vines in Saint-Joseph are grown in the Chabot area, north of Tournon, between 240–310 metres elevation. The unique part of this land area is the rare type of soil found here: granite with low ferrous mineral content, and interspersed with layers of gneiss. The unique geological features in this area of Chabot produce unique red and white wines with elegance and powerful characteristics.
While the AOC Cru of Saint-Joseph is mostly known for its Syrah, the appellation also grows small amounts of Roussanne and Marsanne, with demanding producers seeking to produce only the best wines. This particular white wine is crafted with 100% Marsanne that was grown in a single vineyard on granite, southeast-facing slopes with excellent exposure to wind, in the southern part of the Saint-Joseph appellation, within the Chabot area. The soil type in this vineyard is made up of granite and granitic sand. The vines are 30 years old and were Gobelet pruned and trained on stakes in a traditional fashion. After hand-harvesting the grapes, they underwent fermentation using indigenous yeasts for 3 weeks in a 50/50 mix of 600 L barrels and stainless steel tanks, followed by bâtonnage (lees stirring) for 4 weeks. The wine was aged for 7 months on its fine lees in 600 L barrels. Final blending and maturing of the two portions took place in stainless steel tanks in order to preserve the wine's mineral expression.
The 2023 growing season in the Northern Rhône tested the resilience of wine producers. The season began on a dry note, followed by slightly warmer than usual temperatures. Rainfall arrived in mid-May, with moderate amounts of rain continuing to the end of June. Rain combined with slightly warmer temperatures led to persistent humidity and created the ideal conditions for mildew to develop. Signs of drought also appeared by mid-July. The vintage was also marked by a significant 16-day heatwave in early August, followed by a torrential downpour during peak harvest in September. Overall, the Saint-Joseph AOC generally delivered good results, with wines exhibiting elegance and restraint. Let's see how this 2023 Marsanne from Saint-Joseph in the Northern Rhône is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
ALLÉNO & CHAPOUTIER CROIX DE CHABOT SAINT-JOSEPH BLANC 2023 - AC, Rhône, France (#43784) (XD) - $39.95Rare to see 100% Marsanne such as this. Lovely, elegant, medium-high intensity, and complex aromas of doughy, lemon oil, citrus, and baked pear, plus accents of vanillin oak spice and minerals. The dry, medium+ to medium-full bodied palate is rich and well-structured with lovely spice, lemon oil, citrus, pear, and vanilla flavours supported by fine, well-delineated, and juicy acidity. Exudes elegance with spice notes tapering to savoury, earthy, and stony minerals on the long, crisp finish, with excellent length. Highly recommended buy! Score: 93 pts
There are only seven wines in the Alléno & Chapoutier collaboration, and they can all be ordered through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.
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