Paul Jaboulet-Aîné : Domaine Mule Blanche 2021

Characteristics and tasting advice for the Domaine "Mule Blanche" 2021 by Paul Jaboulet-Aîné

Tasting

Appearance

The color reveals a pale, crystalline yellow hue with a lovely brilliance.

Nose

The nose opens with fruity aromas of white-fleshed fruits, notably pear and vine-ripened peach, alongside floral notes of hawthorn and acacia, with a delicate touch of oak on the finish.

Palate

The attack is lively, followed by a round, supple mid-palate marked by acacia floral notes. The finish shows a fine minerality reminiscent of chalk dust, bringing freshness and harmony to the overall expression.

Food and wine pairings

This white wine is an ideal match for delicate fish, refined vegetables and sweetbreads. It pairs particularly well with a sweetbread terrine and its herb whipped cream, an autumn salad with hazelnut oil, or a monkfish blanquette with grapes.

Serving and cellaring

Domaine de Thalabert "Mule Blanche" 2021 is best enjoyed at a temperature between 10 and 14°C. This wine can be enjoyed now and will continue to evolve through to around 2030.

An elegant, mineral Crozes-Hermitage white from the Northern Rhône Valley

The estate

Founded in 1834 by Antoine Jaboulet in Tain-l'Hermitage, the Paul Jaboulet-Aîné house stands as a historic benchmark of the Rhône Valley. Owned by the Frey family since 2006, the estate is led by Caroline Frey, an oenologist and winemaker. Spanning more than 100 hectares of vines, including 25 hectares on the prestigious Hermitage hill, Paul Jaboulet-Aîné has been certified organic since 2016 and is committed to biodynamics. The emblematic Hermitage La Chapelle cuvée remains renowned worldwide, embodying the excellence of Rhône wines.

The vineyard

The "Mule Blanche" cuvée comes from the Conflans lieu-dit, located on the left bank of the Rhône in the Drôme, within the Crozes-Hermitage appellation. The vineyard covers 7 hectares of lower terraces made up of alluvial rounded pebbles over a clay-limestone soil. The vines, planted between 1956 and 1974, are farmed under certified organic practices with a gentle approach to viticulture. At an average altitude of 140 meters, the rows are oriented mainly north–south on flat ground.

The vintage

The year 2021 was marked by a harsh winter, with a frost episode affecting many French vineyards. A milder spring allowed flowering at the end of May, followed by particularly rainy months in June and July. Weather instability continued from mid-July to mid-August before more favorable conditions enabled optimal ripening of the grapes. Harvest took place from September 15 to October 7, revealing berries of fine quality combining freshness and ripeness.

Winemaking and aging

The harvest was carried out by hand with careful sorting in the vineyard, the grapes being picked into small 12-kilogram crates. After whole-cluster pressing and settling, fermentation took place in concrete eggs and oak barrels, 5% of which were new. Aging of this Rhône Valley wine was carried out on fine lees in the same vessels, allowing the wine to develop complexity and texture while preserving its freshness.

Grape varieties

55% marsanne
45% roussanne