Paul Jaboulet Aîné
About Paul Jaboulet Aîné
Undoubtedly one of the greatest names in the Rhône Valley, Paul Jaboulet Aîné was founded in 1834 by Antoine Jaboulet and is perhaps best known for its flagship La Chapelle, of which the 1961 vintage still holds the title as one of the greatest wines ever made. A series of mishaps in the 1990s threw the estate in disarray and it took the financial might of the Frey family to set the estate on a path to recovery.
Since 2006, the Frey family have accomplished an impressive feat at Paul Jaboulet Aine by taking this historic estate to its rightful place as the first growth of the Rhone. With their experience at Chateau La Lagune in Bordeaux, the Frey family saw the potential in Jaboulet’s vineyards, including the important and iconic vineyard, Hermitage La Chapelle.
Caroline Frey has since taken over as owner and winemaker of Paul Jaboulet Aîné and within 10 years, enabled Paul Jaboulet Aîné to attain organic certification.
-
Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (94)
Opaque purple. Captivating aromas of boysenberry, dark cherry, pepper, spices, cocoa powder and smoky minerality. Then intense and penetrating in the mouth, with brilliantly fresh dark berry and kirsch flavors lifted by notes of cinnamon and star anise. Finishes pungent and impressively long, with a palate-saturating whiplash of dark berry and spice flavors. This wine calls for at least decade of aging. Only 900 bottles were slated to be sent to the American importer.Inc. TAX€1,366.42 -
Wine Advocate (94)
The 2015 Cornas Domaine de Saint Pierre is a full-bodied, concentrated wine that brings the essence of Cornas to the bottle in its scents of crushed stones and firm, tannic finish. Hints of toasted almond and mocha give it a gloss of modernity, but its red plum fruit, hints of iron or blood, and sturdy feel bring it right back to the appellation's granite slopes.Inc. TAX€682.38 -
Wine Advocate (93)
The 2010 Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert, which I raved about last year, is slightly better than their brilliant 2009. It boasts a dense purple color along with a beautiful perfume of camphor, licorice, forest floor, black currants and Christmas fruitcake. With tremendous intensity, full body and supple tannins, it should drink well for 10-15 years, perhaps longer where well-stored. This cuvee is always one of the best buys in the Northern Rhone.Inc. TAX€432.78 -
Vinous (94)
Inky ruby. Suave, mineral-accented scents of ripe blueberry, black currant and Indian spices, along with a slowly emerging floral component. Plush, broad and deeply concentrated, displaying black and blue fruit, licorice and mocha flavors that are energized by an intense, peppery overtone. Finishes extremely long, fleshy and sweet, delivering intense mineral thrust, a subtle cracked pepper nuance and youthful, building tannins.Inc. TAX€598.27 -
Vinous (94)
Inky ruby. Suave, mineral-accented scents of ripe blueberry, black currant and Indian spices, along with a slowly emerging floral component. Plush, broad and deeply concentrated, displaying black and blue fruit, licorice and mocha flavors that are energized by an intense, peppery overtone. Finishes extremely long, fleshy and sweet, delivering intense mineral thrust, a subtle cracked pepper nuance and youthful, building tannins.Inc. TAX€219.18 -
Decanter (98)
This legendary estate is now owned by the Frey family, who have returned it and its wines to greatness. The wine is 100% Syrah from 60-year-old vines planted around the chapelle on the hill of Hermitage. The colour has barely changed since its youth, and the nose remains remarkably youthful with intense black fruits and a hint of floral perfume. The palate is dominated by a welter of morello cherry, damson, cream, coffee, spice, ink and violets. It possesses extraordinary balance with juxtaposing acidity and ripe, polished tannins. The small amount of new oak has been completely subsumed by the fruit, and it's both elegant and sturdy - a great thoroughbred built for the long haul. It's delicious now but will become even more so over then next two or three decades.Inc. TAX€1,720.38 -
Decanter (97)
Tasted at Château La Lagune, owner Caroline Frey's Bordeaux outpost. One of the legendary wines from Hermitage Hil, La Chapelle comes from pretty much the only spot on the Rhone's Left Bank where you find granite, along with the classic galet stones. The Jaboulet style is to blend their plots from across the hill, resulting in the stunning power of this wine. The complexity here is of the kind that reveals a truly great wine. There are so many things happening, graphite, slate, fleshy layers of blackberry fruits that collide immediately afterwards by a tightly controlled edge of tannins, then the whole thing finishes slowly, cleanly. Incredible.Inc. TAX€1,203.18 -
Jeb Dunnuck (100)
Lastly, and a legendary wine in the making, the 2015 Hermitage La Chapelle is reminiscent of the 1990 with its full-bodied, opulently, sexy, yet concentrated style. Offering sensational notes of blackcurrants, smoked herbs, beef blood, and chocolate, it’s a huge yet elegant wine that has masses of sweet tannin, incredible purity and finesse, and a killer finish. It’s the finest wine from this estate in close to 30 years. Hats off to Caroline Frey and Jacques Desvernois!Inc. TAX€1,774.38
-
Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (94)
Opaque purple. Captivating aromas of boysenberry, dark cherry, pepper, spices, cocoa powder and smoky minerality. Then intense and penetrating in the mouth, with brilliantly fresh dark berry and kirsch flavors lifted by notes of cinnamon and star anise. Finishes pungent and impressively long, with a palate-saturating whiplash of dark berry and spice flavors. This wine calls for at least decade of aging. Only 900 bottles were slated to be sent to the American importer.In Bond€1,120.00 -
Wine Advocate (94)
The 2015 Cornas Domaine de Saint Pierre is a full-bodied, concentrated wine that brings the essence of Cornas to the bottle in its scents of crushed stones and firm, tannic finish. Hints of toasted almond and mocha give it a gloss of modernity, but its red plum fruit, hints of iron or blood, and sturdy feel bring it right back to the appellation's granite slopes.In Bond€550.00 -
Wine Advocate (93)
The 2010 Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert, which I raved about last year, is slightly better than their brilliant 2009. It boasts a dense purple color along with a beautiful perfume of camphor, licorice, forest floor, black currants and Christmas fruitcake. With tremendous intensity, full body and supple tannins, it should drink well for 10-15 years, perhaps longer where well-stored. This cuvee is always one of the best buys in the Northern Rhone.In Bond€342.00 -
Vinous (94)
Inky ruby. Suave, mineral-accented scents of ripe blueberry, black currant and Indian spices, along with a slowly emerging floral component. Plush, broad and deeply concentrated, displaying black and blue fruit, licorice and mocha flavors that are energized by an intense, peppery overtone. Finishes extremely long, fleshy and sweet, delivering intense mineral thrust, a subtle cracked pepper nuance and youthful, building tannins.In Bond€461.00 -
Vinous (94)
Inky ruby. Suave, mineral-accented scents of ripe blueberry, black currant and Indian spices, along with a slowly emerging floral component. Plush, broad and deeply concentrated, displaying black and blue fruit, licorice and mocha flavors that are energized by an intense, peppery overtone. Finishes extremely long, fleshy and sweet, delivering intense mineral thrust, a subtle cracked pepper nuance and youthful, building tannins.In Bond€164.00 -
Decanter (98)
This legendary estate is now owned by the Frey family, who have returned it and its wines to greatness. The wine is 100% Syrah from 60-year-old vines planted around the chapelle on the hill of Hermitage. The colour has barely changed since its youth, and the nose remains remarkably youthful with intense black fruits and a hint of floral perfume. The palate is dominated by a welter of morello cherry, damson, cream, coffee, spice, ink and violets. It possesses extraordinary balance with juxtaposing acidity and ripe, polished tannins. The small amount of new oak has been completely subsumed by the fruit, and it's both elegant and sturdy - a great thoroughbred built for the long haul. It's delicious now but will become even more so over then next two or three decades.In Bond€1,415.00 -
Decanter (97)
Tasted at Château La Lagune, owner Caroline Frey's Bordeaux outpost. One of the legendary wines from Hermitage Hil, La Chapelle comes from pretty much the only spot on the Rhone's Left Bank where you find granite, along with the classic galet stones. The Jaboulet style is to blend their plots from across the hill, resulting in the stunning power of this wine. The complexity here is of the kind that reveals a truly great wine. There are so many things happening, graphite, slate, fleshy layers of blackberry fruits that collide immediately afterwards by a tightly controlled edge of tannins, then the whole thing finishes slowly, cleanly. Incredible.In Bond€984.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (100)
Lastly, and a legendary wine in the making, the 2015 Hermitage La Chapelle is reminiscent of the 1990 with its full-bodied, opulently, sexy, yet concentrated style. Offering sensational notes of blackcurrants, smoked herbs, beef blood, and chocolate, it’s a huge yet elegant wine that has masses of sweet tannin, incredible purity and finesse, and a killer finish. It’s the finest wine from this estate in close to 30 years. Hats off to Caroline Frey and Jacques Desvernois!In Bond€1,460.00