March 2000

1995 Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert $19
13% alc.

1995 Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes Hermitage "Les Jalets" $13.99 12.5% alc.

"Les Jalets" was named after the spot where the new premises and cellars are situated in the commune of La Roche de Glun; made from grapes bought and vinified by Jaboulet, or from wines bought regularly from several growers. This wine comes chiefly from vineyards in the plain of Chassis, the same stony soil as Domaine de Thalabert, but with slightly higher yields and often from younger vines.

I decanted these for 4 hours before tasting, based on past experiences, and it proved to be a good move. (Say what you will about preferring to observe the wine open in the glass; for this taster, too often that means that youngsters like these are finished by the time they’re starting to blossom.) Like the ’94, the Dom de Thalabert has evolved since we last had it about a year ago. The dark garnet color holds fast, with a richer nose that the "Les Jalets" (one that seems to show nice floral nuances in its youth that gradually mutate into other charms with passing years). It exhibits aromas of plum/prune/red currant/briar/bramble/ chocolate/smoke, which follow through on the palate, with more guts body, tannins, acidity than the "Les Jalets". This has a smooth mouthfeel, and whilst the tannins aren’t intrusive, they will surely take it several years down the road with improvement. Interestingly, I got none of the cedar, game, nutmeg, licorice and hints of matchstick and iodine that were apparent before, and the floral qualities of the bouquet continue to recede.

The "Les Jalets" has developed a definite hint of rust to its dark garnet hue, and shows a familiar bouquet of plum/prune/dark chocolate/briar/ bramble with a hint of vegetation and the faintest whiff of smoke. The dry, friendly flavors generally echo, with a reasonably long finish and a note of tar. (If this sounds more or less identical to the first wine, it comes across as being less "gutsy," rich and sweet.) This has also evolved nicely since we last tasted it a year ago; then it was a little greener, and the briar/bramble dominated the fruit. Based on this performance, I’ll be padding my collection in the cellar, as there are still specimens to be had in Day-twah.

1996 Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert $19, 13% alc.

1996 M. Chapoutier Crozes Hermitage "Les Meysonniers" $18.99, 13% alc.

The Dom. De Thalabert is something of a disappointment for such a consistent performer. Inky garnet with an underbrush/Provencal herb/prune/ licorice nose that’s not as floral as past vintages at this stage; flavors echo with an added note of plum/blackberry/ chocolate. This would all seem well and good, except that it is a little lean on the mid-palate, and doesn’t seem as full bodied and full flavored as past vintages, especially in light of the fact that ’96 was supposed to be such a good vintage in the northern Rhone. Impressions were generally consistent with last year’s sampling of this. Maybe a year or two in the cellar will help, but I won’t buy more if I find any.

The "Les Meysonniers’" dark garnet color is slightly inky; the pretty plum/red currant/black cherry aromas emerge grudgingly and follow through on the palate with added notes of coffee/leather. For the first few hours, this is lean, green and tight; however, after 3 ½ hours, it does open some, with meaty nuances shaded by a little smoke. There is some good ripe fruit here, but the green leanness never resolves itself completely. There’s decent acidity as well, and the tannins can use 3-5 years to mellow, but ultimately, this is another that I wouldn’t buy again. 

1997 Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert $21.99 12.9% alc.

1997 Albert Belle Crozes Hermitage Les Pierrelles $17.99 12.6% alc.

Kim and I enjoyed these two along with grilled steaks and a 3-1 Winged victory over the L.A. Kings. I got impatient and poured glasses of the medium full to full bodied dark garnet Thalabert after only an hour and a half in the decanter, and was pleasantly surprised at how well it is drinking already. Pretty aromas of plum/blackberry/herb/tar/licorice/mint and a hint of menthol pour forth, and follow through on the palate with the rich, pure fruit dominating the secondary nuances and a smooth texture. There is also a slight green vegetal streak, as befits its youth. The tannins and acidity are already well integrated, and the finish is deliciously long. Though it may not be quite the equal of the ’94 or ’95, it’s easily the most accessible effort of the last four vintages, at this point in its evolution. I’ll be very interested in trying this in a couple of years, and for the next several following that.

The ruby dark garnet Les Pierrelles is not as deep or dark as the Thalabert, but it’s the more fruit forward of the two, with plum/red currant/ berry/cherry flavors and aromas shaded with herb/chocolate/coffee. It’s smooth and enjoyable, but not as structured and the first selection, and it finishes somewhat abruptly. It will probably improve over the next few years, but I’ll pass at this price.

And Lest We Forget… 

1997 Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes Hermitage "Les Jalets" $12.90, 12.5% alc.

I had yet to see the ’96 model, but when this showed up in the neighborhood recently, the price was right and I bit. It’s an inky garnet that shows a pretty bouquet typical of the region and producer, with sweet plum/mullberry shaded by Provencal herb and hints of coffee/toast/game. The flavors echo, but are VERY tight at this point; the tannins really clamp down on the finish. I sipped it for five hours, and it did open up noticeably, gaining nice notes of chocolate and a certain vegetal element that added to rather than detracted from the complexity. Still, it’s quite astringent and needs at least a few years in the cellar to mellow into the fine Syrah that it should become.  

One of the most extreme expressions of Syrah that we’ve experienced, this dense dark garnet smells like nothing so much as plums and briar/bramble/underbrush sprayed by a cat. Now most of us know that the latter quality is common in Sauvignon, but this was a first in a red wine for us (or should I say a second, since we drank another bottle of this a year previous). The very dry flavors echo, with the fruit and underbrush vying for dominance; I like my briar/bramble, but I want the fruit to be foremost. And, after three hours in a decanter and an hour in the glass, some nice chocolate starts to emerge, as does plum/prune/smoke/red licorice. With even more air, it gains an added subtle meaty (but not gamy) quality as well. There’re plenty of tannins to hold this in the cellar for some time to come, and good acidity too. While it is just a little too strange for Kim, I liked it quite a lot, and look forward to trying our last bottle a four or five years down the line. A special thanks to Bruce L. for procuring these for us!

WINES

Part One

1994 Paul Jaboulet Aine 
Crozes Hermitage 
Domaine de Thalabert 

1994 Paul Jaboulet Aine 
Saint Joseph 
"Le Grand Pompee" 

Part Two

1995 Paul Jaboulet Aine 
Crozes Hermitage
 Domaine de Thalabert 

1995 Paul Jaboulet Aine 
Crozes Hermitage 
"Les Jalets" 

1996 Paul Jaboulet Aine 
Crozes Hermitage
 Domaine de Thalabert 

1996 M. Chapoutier 
Crozes Hermitage 
"Les Meysonniers" 

1997 Paul Jaboulet Aine 
Crozes Hermitage 
Domaine de Thalabert 

1997 Albert Belle 
Crozes Hermitage
 Les Pierrelles 

1997 Paul Jaboulet Aine 
Crozes Hermitage
 "Les Jalets"