When I asked Lionel Faury several years ago who, in his home region of the northern Rhône Valley, inspires him most, he didn’t name one of the legends of this region’s Big Three appellations—Hermitage, Cornas, and Côte-Rôtie. Instead, he said simply, “Jean Gonon,” one of his peers working in the appellation of Saint Joseph, situated between Côte-Rôtie and Cornas on the Rhône River’s western flank. If, in recent years, the reputation of Saint Joseph has joined the likes of Hermitage, Cornas, and Côte-Rôtie as one of France’s exalted sites for the Syrah grape, that arrival is largely thanks to both Gonon and Faury, who produce appellation- and region-defining wines from incredible vineyards and on the backs of long family traditions. “Syrah is a very expressive grape,” says Lionel, who is wholly devoted to the grape variety’s terroir transparency and points out that, in Saint Joseph, this translates to an abundance of minerality in the glass. This rouge delivers on that promise and more, with its mesmerizing flavors of dark fruit, black pepper, and smoked meat, plus its outstanding elegance. Pour this alongside Chris Lee’s peppercorn-crusted short ribs for an unforgettable feast.

Click here for Chris Lee’s recipe.