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Jaboulet

Jaboulet was founded in the early 19th Century - history has failed to conserve the exact date for us. All we know is that when records began in 1834, there was a Jaboulet making wine in Tain l'Hermitage. This was the man credited with founding the firm of Jaboulet, Antoine. Antoine Jaboulet had twins (I know how that feels) called Henri and Paul, who were a significant driving force in developing the business, so much so that the full title of the family firm is actually Paul Jaboulet Aîné, named after the elder (aîné) of the two boys.

As the decades passed the family had an abundance of sons to look after the business. Paul's sons Louis and Henri, and Henri's sons Louis and Jean all played their part. Then in the later years of the 20th Century Gérard Jaboulet, son to Louis, took the helm. Gérard died in 1997, and following that tragic event no less than seven members of the Jaboulet family ran the business; Michel, Jacques, Philippe, Odile, Frédéric, Nicolas and Laurent made up the team. Philippe Jaboulet was Director of the Jaboulet estates, a job he took over in 1992, after a nasty scuba-diving accident left former director Jacques Jaboulet disabled. The most significant development in the history of Paul Jaboulet Aîné for many years, however, came late in 2005, with news that the business, complete with vineyards and stock of back vintages, had been sold to the Frey family, who also own Chateau La Lagune in Bordeaux. It was reported that French inheritance taxes created the need to sell, but I do wonder whether other reasons, such as a lack of a firm direction, may have played a part.

The Jaboulet range includes appellations from throughout the Rhône Valley, both north and south. It includes a decent Cotes du Rhone Parallèle 45 as well as cuvées from lesser appellations such as Coteaux du Tricastin and there is even a vin de table. As is the case with other top négociants such as Chapoutier and Delas, however, it is in the appellations of the northern Rhône that Jaboulet excels. And although the family own vines in pretty much every significant appellation, it is with Hermitage and Crozes-Hermitage that Jaboulet has really established its reputation as an important player in the Rhône Valley. The jewel in the portfolio has usually been the Hermitage La Chapelle, matched only by the white Hermitage Chevalier de Sterimberg (named after the hermit that lived on the site of the chapel on the hill of Hermitage), and all told Jaboulet own approximately 25 hectares of vines on the hill, second only in terms of vineyard holdings to the local (and good value) co-operative in Tain l'Hermitage and Chapoutier. There is another old favourite in the portfolio, this being the excellent value-for-money Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert. In recent years the Jaboulet family had extended their vineyard holdings in the northern Rhône, purchasing the Domaine St Pierre in Cornas in 1993 and the once great Domaine Raymond Roure in Crozes-Hermitage in 1996. Both sites have been sources of fabulous grapes for Jaboulet, bottled bearing the recognisable Jaboulet label, but also bearing the name of the original domaine. One other northern Rhone wine worthy of mention is the St Joseph Le Grand Pompée, a longstanding feature of the Jaboulet portfolio, named after a character in La Legende des Siècles by Victor Hugo. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s many of these wines provided fans of the Rhône Valley with some delicious and elegant drinking.

Vineyard and winery practices are modern and quality orientated, with destemming, separate vinification of individual plots prior to evaluation and limited use of press wine. There is, however, use of some cultivated yeast. New oak is used for the Hermitage Chevalier de Sterimberg only, the reds go into used barrels. With the acquisition of the business by the Frey family it should come as no surprise that many of these barrels are today first used at their Haut-Médoc estate, Chateau La Lagune, where there is a policy of 100% new oak each vintage, so there is a plentiful supply of one-year old barrels to be shipped over to Tain l'Hermitage. The use of oak at Jaboulet seems sensible, varying from six months for Domaine de Thalabert up to 18 months for Hermitage La Chapelle. The wines are filtered - possibly more than once - prior to bottling.

Unfortunately, although it is without doubt that La Chapelle has been magnificent in vintages as recent as 1995 and 1996, reports from 1998 onwards suggested that quality faltered - a travesty in great vintages such as 1998 and 1999. My own tastings of the La Chapelle cuvée from these two vintages would only support this finding; they are not shocking wines per se, but when one compares them with their peers, in the context of a great vintage, it quickly becomes clear that what should be one of the top wines of the vintage and region is seriously lacking. Is this drop off in quality related to the death of Gérard Jaboulet in 1997? My own suspicion is that this is probably the case, but I suppose only the Jaboulet family themselves can really answer this question. Whatever the cause, I can only hope that this cuvée, generally sourced from vines in Les Bessards, Les Greffieux and Le Méal on the hill of Hermitage - not from the vines around the chapel as is commonly thought - sees a return to form, and perhaps the firm's acquisition by the Frey family will provide the impetus necessary to ensure this happens. One very noticeable development in the short time since they took control of the domaine is price; often released with a price tag of about £40 in the UK, the 2006 just about topped en primeur lists with a figure more than double that, approaching £100 per bottle. I look forward with interest to the opportunity to taste these more recent vintages. (3/3/04, last updated 21/1/08)

Contact details:
Address: Les Jalets, RN 7, La-Roche-de-Glun, 26600 Tain l'Hermitage
Telephone: +33 (0) 4 75 84 68 93
Fax: +33 (0) 4 75 84 56 14
Internet: www.jaboulet.com

Jaboulet - Tasting Notes

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Jaboulet Le Petit Jaboulet Viognier 2007: An appealing nose here, slightly peachy, with a little pine nut. It has a very plump style on the palate, with low acidity so typical of Viognier. Lots of texture here, and rather gently flavoured. This is attractive for the price, but in truth it lacks the concentration needed to match the texture. A short finish too. From a Liberty Wines tasting. 13/20 (February 2008)

Jaboulet Condrieu Les Cassines 2006: An unoaked cuvée. This has rather a mineral character to the nose with some lean fruit. It shows the same qualities on entry, then a more creamy edge to the midpalate. And although unoaked there is an appealing toffee edge to the fruit here. My criticism is that there is perhaps a lack of fruit concentration, but there is a promising, burgeoning richness through the midpalate. This is the first vintage made with input from the Frey family; I had hoped for something a little more dramatic. From a Liberty Wines tasting. 15.5+/20 (February 2008)

Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage Les Jalets 2006: A dusky, raspberry-pink appearance. On the nose, cherry fruit with an earthy-funky style. A nice weight, gentle through the midpalate, with some nice tannins at the core. Soft, but with some decent grip at the finish. There is some potential here. From a Liberty Wines tasting. 15.5+/20 (February 2008)

Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage Les Jalets 2006: Burnt toffee, and strawberry liquorice fruit here. A nice gentle texture on the palate, and a finely polished substance to match. The grip shows in the midpalate, alongside rather sweet and confected fruit. This is rather simple in character, but nicely composed. From a Liberty Wines tasting. 15+/20 (February 2009)

Jaboulet St Joseph Le Grand Pompée 2006: A darker nose here, blacker fruit character, slightly more chewy fruit. Polished, stony but light cream texture. Nicely composed tannins beneath. Firm, still rather simple and primary, but with a nice substance and balance. A good grip too. Good potential here. From a Liberty Wines tasting. 16+/20 (February 2009)

Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert 2006: The oak is still quite dominant here, giving this wine a sweet, honeyed character. There is also a good black fruit and pepper character, but also a very slight hint of reduction. The fruit comes through very nicely on the palate though, along with lots of spice and pepper. Good acids, and aromatic berry and cherry fruit. Good. From a Liberty Wines tasting. 16-16.5+/20 (February 2009)

Jaboulet Hermitage La Petite Chapelle 2006: Good depth to the fruit here, with a dark and creamy character. The palate is full, polished, quite juicy and yet nicely balanced. There is a strong core of acidity and overall this is a stylish, appealing wine. It doesn't have huge power or substance, but there is plenty of primary grip and backbone. Very good potential. From a Liberty Wines tasting. 17+/20 (February 2009)

Jaboulet Muscat de Beaumes de Venise 2006: A rather pale appearance. It has an inconsequential perfumed and soapy nose. It has a soft and plump character on the palate, and although there is some peppery acidity it is totally swamped by the rest of the wine. There is little here to recommend. From a Liberty Wines tasting. 12/20 (February 2008)

Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage Blanc Mule Blanche 2005: Marsanne 50%, Roussanne 50%. Sourced from a 7 hectare vineyard, this cuvée spends nine months in oak. It has a creamy, buttery character on the nose, with nice honey-tinged fruit. There is similar pleasure on the palate, good grip from oak-derived tannins, and a flavour profile of dried and crystalline fruits. Moderate acidity, at best. This is good. From a Liberty Wines tasting. 15.5+/20 (February 2008)

Jaboulet Saint Joseph Le Grand Pompée 2005: A dusky, cherry-red hue. There is a lot of animal character and funk here, over some herbal cherry fruit. Full, gentle but broad, with a firm tannic core underneath. Rather simple, foamy, cherry fruit. An undistinguished finish. Short, but grippy. Overall, good. From a Liberty Wines tasting. 15.5+/20 (February 2008)

Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert 2005: This has a wealth of creamy, liqueur-like cherry fruit on the nose, with notes of black pepper and brambles. This has an appealing, clear, fruit definition. The palate is lovely, with a broad, full, seductive character. It is creamy, but underneath it a little brawny too. Good structure, with a lean, mineral twist on the finish. This is very good. From a Liberty Wines tasting. 16.5+/20 (February 2008)

Jaboulet Hermitage La Petite Chapelle 2005: A moderate depth of colour. Good cherry fruit on the nose, very primary in character. It isn't huge or very expressive though, but pretty. There is lots of texture on the palate though, it is rich, concentrated, deep and creamy. It has a good depth, broad character, with a good structure of acidity and tannin. Very attractive, with a lot of potential. If this is the second wine, it will be a delight to taste the grand vin. A success for the new proprietors, the Frey family. From a Liberty Wines tasting. 17+/20 (February 2008)

Jaboulet Côtes du Ventoux Les Traverses 2003: Grenache 65%, Syrah 35%. A sweet, peppery, black fruit nose leads into a sweet, youthful palate with a herby Grenache character backed up by a good, spicy grip. Decent finish. Impressive for the appellation. Drink now. 15/20 (September 2004)

Jaboulet St Peray 2002: Good expressive fruit on the nose. Fresh, full, clean palate. A little fat and weighty. Good fruit here. Balanced. Short finish. Good. 15+/20 (September 2004)

Jaboulet Crozes Hermitage Les Jalets 2002: Slightly leafy dark fruits on the nose. Full, firm palate. Medium bodied, with a little tannin. Sweet. Good, but obviously form a lighter vintage. Drink now. 14.5/20 (September 2004)

Jaboulet Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert 2002: Again a dark fruit nose. The suggestion of delicacy here as well. A sweet edge to the fruit on the palate, just a little grip and texture. Quite light, reflecting the vintage. Shortish finish. Drink now. 15/20 (September 2004)

Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle 2002: A difficult vintage, with strict selection necessary. Very pure, dark colour. Firm, meaty, orange-peel notes along the ripe Syrah fruit. Good Syrah character on the palate, minerally and meaty. Plenty of firm tannin in the background, and the necessary acidity too. Not one of the great La Chapelles, but it has classic style as well as potential. 16.5+/20 (September 2004)

Jaboulet Crozes Hermitage Mule Blanche 2001: Lemon edged almost tropical fruit layers on the nose. Very clean palate. Pure, racy acidity and great freshness to it. Balanced. Absolutely lovely. 16+/20 (September 2004)

Jaboulet Hermitage Le Chevalier de Sterimberg 2001: Closed on the nose, but there are nuances of honey and lemon to be found. A reserved palate. It shows structure, and elegance. Develops a real weight and creamy texture through the midpalate. Full and impressive. This has very good potential but needs five to seven years cellar time before showing its best I think. 17+/20 (September 2004)

Jaboulet Côtes du Rhône Parallele 45 2001: Lovely, black fruit nose. Sweet, dark cherries on the palate. Fairly full and rounded, some grip. Good for the appellation - a good vintage for the south, of course. Drink now and over the next couple of years. 15.5+/20 (September 2004)

Jaboulet Chateauneuf du Pape Les Cedres 2001: Good, plump, Grenache nose. Sweet and ripe, herby fruit palate. Rounded, some tannin giving a little structure. Good balance. A négoce wine, but a worthy one in what was an excellent vintage. 15+/20 (September 2004)

Jaboulet Hermitage Le Taurobole 2001: A cuvée I've not tasted before; another négoce wine which also sometimes contains declassified fruit. Ripe nose showing a little rubber. Ripe, firm and creamy palate. Full, fat, rounded palate with spice and orange-tinged fruit. A little zip. Good typicity here. Needs three to five years. 16+/20 (September 2004)

Jaboulet Cornas Les Grands Terrasses 2000: Dark, slightly meaty fruit here. This is more like it - obvious concentration on the palate, sweet-meaty fruit, and good creamy texture. But quite a bit of evolution too, with soft ripe tannins which are surprisingly ready other than a firm showing in the finish. But it is a négoce wine. Good. Drink over the next five years. 16+/20 (September 2004)

Jaboulet Crozes Hermitage Les Jalets 2000: Deep purple hue. A nice nose, of black fruits with a twist of meat, pepper and oak. Full bodied, showy, textured on the palate. Fairly low acidity and a lick of tannin for structure. Nice wine for current drinking. Tasted at The Lower Place. 15.5/20 (March 2004)

Jaboulet Hermitage Blanc Chevalier de Sterimberg 1999: This has a rich and deep golden hue, which I have to confess I don't find very reassuring. The initial bottle stink soon blows off to reveal aromas of baked apple, toffee and marzipan, presented in a very rich, honeyed and yet dry and ungiving fashion, by which I think I mean it has all these characteristics, but none of the suggestions of sweetness that are normally associated with them. The palate is stretched out, immediately a touch hollow, with all of the baked fruit characteristics to which the nose alluded, and towards the finish more bitter notes, of coffee especially. There is a mealy, whisky-like disjointed element to the dry and rather unfriendly midpalate. This is certainly marked by oxidation; I have scored this bottle appropriately, but I have no idea if this is a one-off or typical of this wine. From my 1999 vintage Ten Years On tasting. 14/20 (December 2009)

Jaboulet Cotes du Ventoux Les Trois Mas 1999: Sweet and perhaps a touch confected on the nose. Grenache dominated raspberry fruit. Fairly simple on the palate, with sweet fruits and a low level of somewhat chalky tannins. From a Majestic press tasting. 14.5/20 (November 2001)

Jaboulet Cotes du Rhone Mule Noire 1999: Another nose with some pleasant fruit. More interest on the palate. Smooth black fruits, less confected, with soft tannins and correct acidity. From a Majestic press tasting. 14.5/20 (November 2001)

Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert 1999: Initially quite tight on the nose, always rather reserved, quite organic, with aromas of warm sun-baked stones, smoky and savoury, with meat-stocky character. Fire-singed herbs, with a little time some darker fruit aromas too, and a subtle floral element. Fresh on the palate, with a little sweetness, nicely filled out with decent grip underneath. A good acid backbone, rather firm in this respect, and with regard to the tannins too. Towards the finish it shows a sour fruit character. This is certainly drinkable, although its composition does seem rather confused and out of focus at times. Less convincing than it was a couple of years ago. From my 1999 vintage Ten Years On tasting. 16/20 (December 2009)

Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert 1999: A lovely depth of colour, deep and glossy, and the nose is immediate and very evocative. It throws forth wonderful aromas of cherry, kirsch, smoke, dark and gamey meat, dense, rich with plenty of smoky, vibrant fruit. Later it shows a lot of furry, gamey, animalistic qualities. The palate is quite lovely, quite forceful and well endowed with fruit, but fresh and well defined, not quite creamy but certainly with plenty of texture and substance. Showing a lot of youthful character at the moment, although also some immature complexity. A furry quality like that on the nose. This is really very attractive, and has plenty of potential. Like the 1998, it knocks the La Chapelle of the same year into a cocked hat, only even more convincingly. 17/20 (April 2007)

Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert 1999: A glorious red-black colour when poured, quite deep and intense. The nose is full of rich Syrah character, with summer berry and cherry fruit character, chocolate and spice. There is fine structure on the palate, which is full bodied, with a strong, full, sweet texture, and good acidity for balance. The tannins, although ripe and chewy, are very accessible, and this wine is drinking surprisingly well now. Nevertheless, it is packed with primary fruit and pepper flavours, and will doubtless improve with time in bottle. 16.5+/20 (July 2002) Label

Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle 1999: A reassuring colour in one way at least, in that it has an attractive shine, a nice youthful appearance and a moderately deep core, but it doesn't have the dense colour and concentration that we might hope for. An attractive nose, with dark berry fruit, and a rubbery Northern Rhône edge - something I find in a number of wines from the region from time to time. Rather light on the palate though, lacking in concentration, still showing a faint vein of tannins, but there is an absence of impact, texture or really interesting character. There is no real structure to speak of; in fact, it seems very deficient in this department indeed. Some nice character here, in itself a nice but rather light wine, drinkable and not the awful shocker some seem to find, but given this was the greatest Northern Rhône vintage for eight or nine years, this is very disappointing. 15.5 - 16?/20 (April 2007)

Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert 1998: It seems like years since I last opened a bottle of this, but I see it was in fact a little over a year ago when I lined this up against the Chapelle of the same vintage. This certainly has an aromatically interesting nose, with a slightly high-toned character, carrying along a raft of burnt and sweet meat which sits with some bright and acidic berry fruit, alongside some more nebulous scents, a sort of confected yet leafy cherry and a little candy cough sweet. The palate still has a nice flesh, and is holding up nicely, with a rounded weight and peppy acidity. It has some grip towards the finish, so the wine has a good presence in the mouth, but in terms of development it is certainly well into a tertiary stage. Good wine, but there will be no major further improvement here I think. This is telling, when one considers that the Thalaberts of old would age for a couple of decades, and still look good. From my 1998 vintage Ten Years On tasting. 16.5/20 (November 2008)

Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert 1998: A fairly deep colour, not opaque, but with a nice depth of pigment. It has quite some appeal on the nose, with typical meaty, gamey characteristics, with some smoky dustiness and burnt cherry. Overall it is open and certainly expressive. More meaty, gamey fruit on the palate, with a touch of sweetness to the texture, with a bittersweet edge to the brambly fruit. Slightly foursquare, with some bare structure on the finish, and rather firm acids here too. But overall it is good, and is certainly approachable now although I think another year or two, no more, will see this wine at its best. It rather puts the La Chapelle of the same year to shame. 16.5+/20 (April 2007)

Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle 1998: A nice colour here, although it is already showing the elegant mahogany tones of maturity. The nose also shows plenty of development, with a little stewed fruit at first, then a more smoky, meaty and slightly dry-dusty character. The palate seems to show a little more flesh and weight than I recall, and the wine certainly has some substance, although this is countered by some very firm acidity and a continued seam of tannins. There are plenty of good points here, although when drinking it I can't help thinking of what might have been in such a great vintage. Nevertheless this wine is certainly giving more pleasure, and as I suggested last time it is certainly on the way up. And with that firm acidity I think it may go for a very long time, even if it never achieves greatness, although it is without doubt very approachable now. A good wine. From my 1998 vintage Ten Years On tasting. 17+/20 (November 2008)

Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle 1998: A nice depth of colour, although it is by no means opaque, and here begins my litany of qualifications. This wine has an attractive depth of pigment, but when one considers that this is a Hermitage, reputedly one of the top examples of the appellation, at eight years of age, and from a very good vintage, the intensity of colour is perhaps not all that we would expect. The nose is never exuberant, but has an appealing nature, with a reserved, admittedly slightly dusty, smoky-meaty character. It certainly has a feel of maturity, with what primary fruit ever existed already long gone. The palate has a creamy, milky feel to it, and again a mature, gamey, dusty character. There is a diffuse, chalky tannic presence, as well as rather firm acidity, backing up a nice, middleweight presence. It seems a little coarsely put together at the finish, with a lots of structure showing, and just a little length. But overall this was better than I expected, no doubt reflecting my low expectations. I have seen this described as thin, dusty and emaciated, in fact as rather undrinkable. Those words are too harsh. This is a wine which is showing rather advanced maturity (bearing in mind how other vintages have fared over the years), although it is still very much on the way up judging by the structure of the wine, and which offers hope that in a few years time it will be nicely integrated and pleasant to drink. It will not, however, be a long-lived example of the appellation. Was it worth the money? No. Is it a great Hermitage? No. Does it bring back memories of the birth of my first son in 1998, which these bottles were bought to commemorate? Yes. And for that reason alone I suspect I will continue drinking these with my very own personal pleasure. For label images and more see my Wine of the Week write-up. 16.5+/20 (April 2007)

Jaboulet Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise 1998: A fresh, aromatic, dessert grape nose. A classic fresh palate, with good acidity and an attractive level of residual sugar providing a well balanced, rich but not opulent mouthfeel. Very clean and never cloying, this wine gives loads of pleasure at a great price. Simple but delicious. 15/20 (November 2000)

Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert 1996: Little difference in colour with these three wines, but this is perhaps the least opaque wine in the flight. Lots of new oak apparent on the nose, with burnt caramel and orange peel notes. Quite a round, full-bodied and stylish palate, underpinned by a strong tannic backbone. Lots of good, dark, inky fruits. No troublesome acidity, in fact should make for a balanced wine once all the oak has integrated. From a 1996 Northern Rhône blind tasting. 17/20 (July 2001)

Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage Domaine Raymond Roure 1996: Rhône drinkers will be familiar with Jaboulet's Crozes-Hermitage from Domaine de Thalabert, but a more recent acquisition is the Domaine Raymond Roure. This wine has a dark, deep purple hue. Caramel oak on the nose. A rich mouthfeel on the palate, with big, sweet, spicy fruit. Another wine with too much toffee oak for me at present, but it may integrate with time. From a Rhône blind tasting. 17+/20 (January 2001)

Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle 1996: A really attractive hue here, still plenty of pigment, just showing some appealing maturity, but good depth. And a lovely nose too, full of youthful potential, with bittersweet cherry fruit swirled in little notes of roasted meat, smouldering embers and even touch of rather atypical garrigue. Richly creamy on entry, with a firm presence of rather svelte tannins and fresh acidity, giving a lovely sense of extract, all combined to give a delicious depth and structure. Good cherry fruit too, but overall its the appealing texture and those almost roasted, ripe tannins that impress. There is a presence, a certainty of a fine future here that I find really persuasive, assisted by a decent albeit rather tannic length. Jaboulet has been criticised (perhaps rightly) in recent years for turning out lesser wines (and has been subsequently sold by the family), but it is clear to my palate that whenever the rot set in, it was certainly after the 1996 vintage. From a 1996 vintage ten years on tasting. 18.5+/20 (December 2006)

Jaboulet Cornas 1995: Good colour, a garnet red with a touch of maturity. The nose is full of spice and peppery fruit, but is not lush or overblown. Very fresh on the palate, with good acidity, although still somewhat backward, with firm tannins which come to dominate through the endpalate. Nice red fruits. Needs three years at least. From a 1995 Northern Rhône blind tasting. 15.5/20 (March 2003)

Jaboulet Cornas Domaine St Pierre 1995: A glossy and vibrant red-purple hue. A gorgeously aromatic, gamy nose, with a high-toned edge giving it a lift. There is a slight raisined, over-ripe quality to the fruit aromas. Like the basic bottling this too is very fresh on the palate, with good acidity, and it is still tannic, although there is enough substance to match. There is more texture, with a rounded, creamy quality, and sweet, slightly raisined fruit. Luscious and enjoyable but would benefit from two to three years in the cellar. From a 1995 Northern Rhône blind tasting. 17.5+/20 (March 2003)

Jaboulet Cornas Domaine de St-Pierre 1995: From the St-Pierre estate, which lies behind the Reynard and Les Chaillots vineyards, and which was purchased by Jaboulet in 1993. This wine has big, black fruit and oak on the nose. The palate is rich in fruit and spice, with smoky, charred aromas. Tannins are integrating nicely. From a Rhône blind tasting. 17/20 (January 2001)

Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle 1995: Another impressive looking wine. A dark, glossy, black wine, fading to a deep-red mahogany tinge at the rim. The nose has luscious, smoky, game and meaty fruit. Massive weight on entry, sweet and rounded texture. Packed with fruit. Plenty of tannin, serious and balanced. Correct, firm acidity. This wine will go the distance. Needs five years in the cellar, at least. From a 1995 Northern Rhône blind tasting. 18.5+/20 (March 2003)

Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert 1994: This is a dense purple hue, with some tawniness. Sweet fruit on the nose, with a bouquet of violets, rose petals and charcoal. There are some fading toffee notes in the background. The palate has some hard tannins, but appealing fruit, good body and strong acidity. This will make an elegant wine when it has integrated more. From a 1994 Northern Rhône blind tasting. 17+/20 (February 2002)

Jaboulet Cornas 1991: A bottling specially selected by the UK's Wine Society. Unusually the label declares an alcohol concentration of 12.9%, a precision rarely seen today. In the glass it has a very deep colour, a red-black core still, with a red garnet rim; it certainly has an impressive appearance considering it is approaching its 17th birthday. The nose initially gives lots of deep fruit, which offers much promise. Then there comes a more animal vein, a little hot-smoked-barbecue note and even a touch of caramel. On the palate the tannins are ripe, well integrated although showing a flourish on the endpalate. There is good, well-balanced acidity and deep, furry fruit. Overall it is rich, textured but well held together, with lots of extract and weight. Little notes of orange and apple skin add complexity, and the finish is imbued with a drop of caramel, more prominent than on the nose. A very enjoyable wine good for current drinking, although there is certainly no hurry, and indeed this may show further development yet. For label images and more see my Wine of the Week write-up. 17+/20 (January 2008)

Jaboulet St Joseph Le Grand Pompée 1990: Big, ripe, almost minty nose, with raspberries and toffee. Another richly textured wine, with again prominent berry fruits on the palate. Tannins more integrated, though, and overall the wine is much more ready. From a 1990 Northern Rhône blind tasting. 17.5+/20 (May 2001)

Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert 1990: This is a legendary Thalabert, probably the best Jaboulet has ever produced. An interesting nose to open the flight - beef extract, tea and vegetal aromas dominate. There is some classic grilled meat aroma which soon blows off, as well as hints of charcoaled oak. Quite a tannic palate, but fat and rich, with some forward acidic berry fruit showing. Definitely some barbecued meat notes here. Lovely wine, still on the way up. From a 1990 Northern Rhône blind tasting. 18+/20 (May 2001)

Jaboulet Cornas 1990: A hard and austere nose, with just a hint of smoked meats, and some strawberry fruit. Moderate tannins on the palate, with some toasty new oak. Quite vivacious, upfront fruit. Typically Cornas. From a 1990 Northern Rhône blind tasting. 16.5/20 (May 2001)

Jaboulet St Joseph Réserve Personelle 1988: A remarkably youthful, dense, red-purple appearance. Toffee oak on the nose is a mark of this producer, but there is also plenty of raspberry fruit. Plenty of fruity acidity on the palate, with lots of extract and tannin. Big and lushly textured. From 1988 Northern Rhône blind tasting. 17/20 (July 2002)

Jaboulet St Joseph Reserve Personelle 1985: Quite a rich and opulent colour here, denser than several of the wines in the next flight. The nose drips with the caramel, burnt toffee and custard-vanilla aromas that indicate lashings of new oak, a dead giveaway that this is Jaboulet. A beautifully fresh, rounded yet heavily oak-influenced palate, with a charred caramel flavour. There is some fairly fresh and smoky raspberry fruit though, with good acidity which has helped maintain that freshness. On the endpalate this wine is drying out and is somewhat disjointed, so drink up if you have some. From a blind tasting of older Northern Rhône wines. 15.5/20 (October 2001)

Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle 1982: A darker hue, with some tawny development. The nose is fine and quite elegant, loaded with aromas of crushed raspberries, with a background note of tar. The palate is similarly brimming with fruit, there are soft, structural tannins and balanced acidity. The fruit is layered with complexities, pepper, spices, suggestions of charcoal and smoke. Despite its age it still maintains a fairly rich texture, with almost an oily edge. The finish leads into a good length. From a blind tasting of older Northern Rhône wines. 17/20 (October 2001)

Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle 1980: This has a red-mahogany colour, and is perhaps the least densely coloured wine here. The nose has powerful aromas of butter, with some gently frying bacon, a touch of coconut, and perhaps a few notes of stewed vegetables. Deliciously fine texture on the palate, with soft, integrated tannins and acidity supporting a fading layer of. raspberry fruit, with some bacon and smoke nuances on the endpalate. This wine is mature, and in fact there are some notes of deterioration on the drying finish. Nevertheless, enjoyable. From a blind tasting of older Northern Rhône wines. 16/20 (October 2001)

Le Petit Jaboulet NV: A tasting of the current release. Thought to be predominantly Grenache, up to 90% of the blend although Nicolas Jaboulet informed me it is impossible to give accurate figures at this level. Sweet cherry Grenache character on the nose. Simple, rounded, soft sweet cherry palate. There is a little grip beneath it all. Uncomplicated. Drink now. 14/20 (September 2004)