J.L. Chave Sélection Offerus 2018 Saint Joseph

Do you know that Aesop fable about the North Wind and the Sun? The one where the wind tries to blow off a man’s coat, but the man just pulls it tighter to protect himself from the cold wind. Well, in the Northern Rhone region a powerful wind from the north called the Mistral is so fierce and strong that viticulturalists must also protect their vines from its wrath.

Mistral means "masterly" in the Occitan dialect spoken in the Languedoc region of Southern France. When it blows through the Rhône Valley towards the Mediterranean, usually in the winter or spring, it can reach speeds of more than 90 km/h. When at its most powerful, it unleashes violent gales that last for more than a week at a time, wreaking havoc in the vineyards.

While every year viticulturalists take measures to shelter their vines from the Mistral, winemakers give it credit for contributing to the terroir that enables them to create their distinctive wines. When this cold wind blows, it rids the region of cloud cover, allowing the sun to shine through and better ripen the grapes. The drying effect from the winds also helps prevent grape rot since the vines never stay damp for long.

So, when you open a bottle of Northern Rhône wine like this Offerus 2018 Saint Joseph from J.L. Chave Sélection, appreciate its flavours of black cherry and violets, and savour the notes of minerality and sage on the lingering finish, all while reflecting upon the power of the Mistral.