Clos de Cuminaille is one of the most privileged sites of Saint-Joseph. It’s an east-facing walled vineyard on Chavanay’s pure granite soils and produces one of the appellation’s most distinctive wines each year. When Gaillard bought this three-hectare site, he passed on the chance to buy a slice of the now-renowned La Turque vineyard in Côte-Rôtie, a site he helped plant. He simply felt Clos de Cuminaille was better. The vines here are now more than 30 years old, and the winemaking is no different from the Saint-Joseph—save for a touch more new oak (a well-integrated 40% this year).