The colour is deep purple. On the nose blueberries, black olives, meat and liquorice. In the mouth it is full-bodied and rich, with fruit and ripe tannins on the lingering finish.
Produced entirely from Syrah grapes, Thalabert’s Crozes-Hermitage is vinified from 40-60-year-old vines. It is made by Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné, which in 2006 was bought by the Frey Group, which also owns vineyards in Champagne and Bordeaux (Château la Lagune).
Domaine de Thalabert is the first vineyard purchased by Paul Jaboulet in 1834. It is the oldest in the Crozes-Hermitage appellation.
Crozes-Hermitage surrounds the prestigious Hermitage appellation of northern Rhône Valley in France. It covers a relatively large area on the eastern bank of the Rhône River to the north and south of Tain L’Hermitage town. More wine is produced in Crozes-Hermitage than in the other seven northern Rhône appellations combined.
The vast majority (around 90 percent) of Crozes-Hermitage wines are red, and made predominantly from Syrah. The remaining are white Crozes-Hermitage Blanc wines made from Roussanne and Marsanne (also used to a limited extent in many of the red wines).
Crozes-Hermitage wines range in quality from simple food wines to awesome Syrahs. This exemplar clearly belongs to the second group.
Although when I visited Tain L’Hermitage 5 years ago I noticed the difference in price, back then I was not as aware of the importance of terroir as I am today. I was unconscious of the fact that the quality of wine can vary enormously even when made from grapes grown not very far from the spots that offers the best soil and climate.
This bottle sells at ARVI for 29.10 CHF and is well worth the price.
Country: France
Region: Crozes-Hermitage
Grapes: Syrah
Type: Red
Vintage: 2017
Producer: Paul Jaboulet Aîné
Price range: Premium (30-50 US$)
Pascal’s Enjoyment Index: 5/5