Paul Jaboluet - Iconic Rhone

Domaines Paul Jaboulet Aîné was founded in The Rhone Valley in 1834 in the town of Tain L'Hermitage by Antoine Jaboulet and his sons, Paul and Henry. In 1919 they acquired the very famous Saint-Christophe chapel at the top of the renowned Hermitage vineyard. You'll have likely seen this crop up in pictures of Rhone vineyards without realising it!

With the death of Gerard Jaboulet in 1997, the house saw its fortunes fall as the family business fell into disarray and the wine went downhill. It was only in 2006 that Caroline Frey took over and transformed the Jaboulet name back into the great wines they once were. She has also moved the winemaking towards organic and biodynamic, which is a crucial part of Rhone winemaking philosophy these days. Just look at what Chapoutier has done with their wines as another great example.

As a result of this sustainably minded conversion, where by 2021 all vineyards were cultivated with biodynamic methods, the patience is now paying off. In their own words: "We have already noticed, improvement of soil structure, evolution of the percentage of mycorrhizal roots enabling better tolerance to water stress. And finally the wines exhibit greater freshness, purity, and brightness, with vibrant aromas. They have gone even further with the wine bottles too. The cork is natural and recyclable from a sustainable source whilst the bottle is made from 100% recycled glass and is 100% recyclable too.

The wines of Jaboulet

Winemaking here is masterful. They practise gentle vinification methods with reverence for the terroir in order to allow the wines to express themselves in the most natural and powerful way. Ageing is done in a range of vessels including concrete eggs, conical tanks, barrels, and demi-muids to give the team as many options as possible to explore and enhance the potential of the wines.

Vins De Vignerons

This range is made by Jaboulet in partnership with carefully selected Vignerons (grape growers) where they blend grapes from the vignerons with grapes from their own estate. Maturation takes place in the Jaboulet cellars. This has the advantage of sharing expertise and affording Jaboulet the opportunity to pick out some incredible parcels beyond their own vineyards.

Jaboulet Vignerons Wines to look out for include:

• Jaboulet Condrieu, Les Cassines - A famous Viognier wine that spends 8 months in a range of tanks on its lees. It is floral, tropical and creamy.
• Jaboulet Cote Rotie, Les Jumelles - Cote Rotie (Roasted Slope) is big and bold Syrah and this exemplifies that perfectly. Cassis and violet lend complexity to a red-fruited, silky palate.
• Jaboulet Cotes du Rhone Parallele 45 Rouge - Named for latitude 45, the latitude of great wines, this is a Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Marselan, Carignan blend. Fruity, spicy and fresh with floral accents.
• Jaboulet Cotes du Rhone Parallele 45 Blanc - A blend of Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Clairette & Marsanne, it displays blossom and floral notes with citrus and exotic fruits, followed by a mineral finish.
• Jaboulet Saint-Joseph, Le Grand Pompée - This is delicious St-Joseph. Licorice, black pepper and black fruit are encased in a well structured body.
• Jaboulet Crozes Hermitage Rouge, Les Jalets - Notes of red and black fruits are complemented by spicy aromas. A classic with a pleasing moutfeel.

There's also a Cornas, white version of Les Jalets and Le Grand Pompée, a beautiful Saint-Peray and Viognier under the Vin De France classification in the Vignerons range.

Vins De Domains

Jaboulet's own wines, renowned for purity, freshness and vibrancy that reflects their origin are something special. The wines span all the Rhone appellations and are essential to try to really hone your Rhone knowledge down.

• Jaboulet Les Grands Amandiers, Condrieu - Cultivated on steep terraced slopes with granitic soils, and bordered by almond trees that give the wine its name, this is a majestic vineyard. The wine is dominated by orange blossom, peach and candied lemon peel. It's fleshy and citrussy too with ample body.
• Jaboulet Domaine de Saint Pierre, Cornas - Grown on a steep south-facing slope that forms a natural amphitheatre, this is a nice, hefty Syrah. It has intense aromas of graphite, charred wood and mocha that carry through to the palate with the addition of red and black fruits keeping it lively.
• Jaboulet Les Pierrelles, Cote Rotie - Located in Cote Blonde which is known for its smooth, rounded wines, this is a newer Jaboulet wine with the first vintage made in 2009. Soft woody notes combine with black fruits on a smooth, lingering palate. Its power builds as you drink it culminating in a great finish.
• Jaboulet Domaine de Roure, Crozes-Hermitage - The red is complex and elegant with dried petals, graphite and raspberry. Tannins are meaty but balanced with the help of poised acidity. There is also a mineraly, honeyed Domaine de Roure Blanc for Marsanne drinkers to enjoy.
• Jaboulet Domaine de Thalabert, Crozes-Hermitage - From the oldest vineyard in Crozes-Hermitage, this is filled with black fruits, some oaky spice and has a full and generous palate. It has a nice, smooth finish to cap it off. The Jaboulet Domaine de Thalabert, Mule Blanche provides a floral, peachy Marsanne/Rousanne blend.
• Jaboulet La Maison Bleue, Hermitage - From the most renowned Rhone appellation, this wine is named after the small stone house with blue shutters in the vineyard that they still use today for biodynamic preparations. Think charred wood, tobacco, coffee, blueberry, blackcurrant and so on. The wine has great depth and power that builds with each sip. This is a standout wine.
• Jaboulet La Croix des Vignes,Saint Joseph - Floral and violet notes initially come to the fore followed by black fruit and toasty notes. It's super smooth and balanced by a nice fresh finish.