Domaine Monier

Jean-Pierre Monier is as happy and as grateful a vigneron as one finds. His small production wines certainly have not made him wealthy (far from it), but his effortless calm, natural sensitivity, and quiet conviction give him an enviable air of simplicity. He is the third generation of his family to be farming in Brunieux, a lieu-dit in the hills above the village of St-Désirat in the Northern Rhône appellation of Saint Joseph. Like his forefathers, wine is only part of his farm’s overall production. Apricot orchards complement the vineyards, and everything is farmed biodynamically. Between 1977-2001, Jean-Pierre sold his fruit to the local cave cooperative in St-Désirat, but the noticeable quality his vines were producing was enough to encourage him to bottle wines under his own label. Heavily influenced by the teaching and research of the German biodynamic guru, Maria Thun, Jean-Pierre earned certification in 2006.

Northern Rhône expert, John Livingstone-Learmonth has developed a category for select vignerons of the region called STGT (Soil to Glass Transfer), of which Domaine Monier is a part. He explains, in his definitive classic, The Wines of the Northern Rhône,

This is a numerically small group, one that has survived the onslaught of marketing campaigns, press hype, fashions in winemaking, and wine school orthodoxies. There are a few other domaines that occasionally turn out unfettered wines in the STGT vein, but without the consistency. A sincere wish, of course, is that this group should grow in the coming years. (xiv)

With only five hectares of land to farm, all on gentle, higher altitude slopes, one might question the interest in working by such stringent standards. For a joyful artisan like Jean-Pierre, purity and authenticity are paramount, and his viticultural methodology is merely the most genuine manifestation of these ideals.

Technical Information

Wine	Blend	Vine Age	Soil Type	Vineyard Area*
Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes “Marsanne”	90% Marsanne, 10% Viognier	6 - 30 years	Granite	.35 ha
Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes “Viognier”	Viognier	6 - 30 years	Granite	.3 ha
Saint Joseph Blanc	Marsanne	30 - 35 years	Granite, Loess	.73 ha
Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes “Syrah”	Syrah	6 - 30 years	Granite	.7 ha
Saint Joseph Rouge	Syrah	15 - 30 years	Granite, Loess	5.47 ha
Saint Joseph “Terre Blanche”	Syrah	33 years	Granite	1.11 ha
Saint Joseph “Les Serves”	Syrah	33 years	Granite, Loess	.55 ha
Saint Joseph “Châtelet”	Syrah	15 years	Granite, Loess	.61 ha
Saint Joseph “Laliefine”	Syrah	N/A	Granite, Loess	N/A
* "ha" = hectares; one hectare equals roughly two and a half acres

VITICULTURE / VINIFICATION

Starting with the 2008 vintage, Jean-Pierre Monier entered into a working relationship with Philippe Perréol to combine their resources in order to meet the increasing market demand. Perréol works his vines just like Monier. They currently have three labels, depending on vineyard origin and legal reporting requirements: Domaine Monier, Domaine Perréol, and Domaine Monier-Perréol.

Whites:

• Grapes are pressed, then fermented in stainless steel tank

• Wines undergo malolactic fermentation and are aged in stainless steel tank

• Wines age anywhere from 4 months to 1 year, depending on the vintage

Reds:

• Grapes are 100% de-stemmed
• All reds ferment in temperature-controlled cement cuves

• Daily pumpovers and punchdowns

• Wines age for 1 year in tonneaux (except for the Saint Joseph “Les Serves,” which ages in both new barrels and 1-3 year-old barrels)

• Saint Joseph “Laliefine” is made from the concentrated juice that’s been resting on the lees from each barrel. This cuvée has the most intense contact with the lees of all the wines. The wine is decanted off the lees and is aged for 3 months before bottling

MISCELLANEA

Monsieur Monier likes farming. He lives in humble splendor way up in the hills above the Rhône River surrounded by cherry, apricot, and peach orchards, grapevines he farms biodynamically, birdies singing, and bees a-buzzin’. He is living the life of a 19th-century vigneron. Monier told me that he had it figured out: he makes about three dollars an hour in his little winery. “But I’m so happy,” he said.

His is an almost regal Saint Joseph, loaded with character and luscious, juicy Syrah fruit.

Kermit Lynch