Paul Jaboulet-Aîné : Domaine de Thalabert 2023

Characteristics and Tasting Notes of Paul Jaboulet-Aîné's Crozes-Hermitage 2023

Tasting

Appearance
The wine reveals a beautiful red colour with deep, bright purple highlights.

Nose
The nose unveils an aromatic concentration led by notes of small red and black fruits. Upon aeration, spicy hints of white pepper, liquorice, along with subtle mineral nuances gradually unfold.

Palate
The palate stands out for its delicacy and balance. Medium-bodied, it offers a silky texture supported by fine, well-integrated tannins. The red fruit aromas extend harmoniously through to a persistent finish, marked by a beautiful minerality and hints of citrus zest.

Food and wine pairings

This wine pairs ideally with grilled meats, game or slow-cooked dishes such as a traditional pot-au-feu. It also goes wonderfully with pork shoulder with lentils, rack of lamb, roast duck, or Mediterranean recipes with herbs and roasted vegetables.

Serving and cellaring

This 2023 vintage can be enjoyed slightly chilled on warm days or at a classic cellar temperature. It offers cellaring potential, allowing it to be enjoyed until around 2033.

The Elegance and Concentration of a Red Wine from the Rhône Valley

The estate

Founded in 1834 by Antoine Jaboulet in Tain l'Hermitage, the Paul Jaboulet-Aîné estate is a historic institution. Extending over approximately 100 hectares, the vineyard was acquired in 2006 by the Frey family. A pioneer in its environmental approach, the estate stands out for its organic farming certification and biodynamic practices across all of its lands, thus combining a prestigious heritage with sustainable viticulture.

The vineyard

This wine comes from the Crozes-Hermitage appellation, the largest in the region. The vines flourish on rocky plains and terraces composed of clay soils, loess, sand and alluvial gravel. The presence of large glacial pebbles is a key feature of this terroir: they store solar heat during the day and release it at night, promoting even ripening of the grapes. The estate also integrates biodiversity refuges to preserve the natural balance of the plots.

The vintage

The year began with a dry winter, resulting in a late budbreak followed by rapid spring growth. Flowering took place under optimal conditions in June. Summer proved particularly unstable, marked by intense heat and severe drought in July and August. Fortuitously, rainfall in mid-August provided relief to the vines, reviving ripening and yielding berries that were smaller yet highly concentrated.

Winemaking and ageing

The grapes are hand-harvested into small crates and then cooled before vatting. Fermentation is carried out with indigenous yeasts. A three-week maceration, punctuated by daily pump-overs, precedes a gentle manual pressing. The ageing of this wine from the Rhône Valley extends over twelve to eighteen months, split between French oak vats, barrels, demi-muids and stainless steel tanks, in order to preserve freshness while developing texture.

Grape variety

Syrah (100%).