Domaine de Thalabert has been an incredible buy from Jaboulet over the years, and today we were able to source back-vintage bottles of the excellent 2019 at close to original release pricing, just released from the domaine. Thalabert was Jaboulet’s inaugural vineyard purchase in 1834 and remains one of the benchmark sites of Crozes-Hermitage, holding a special place in the domaine’s history and receiving serious attention each vintage. The vineyard sits on the stony glacial terraces of Crozes, a key sector sought after by many top producers, with mature Syrah vines and some sections reaching upwards of 80 years old. Since the Frey family purchased Jaboulet, quality has climbed significantly through lower yields, biodynamic farming, and more precise work in both the vineyard and cellar. The 2019 vintage was outstanding in the Northern Rhône, producing Syrahs with ripe concentration, dark fruit, spice, and firm but polished structure, and Thalabert is one of the great values of the year and has entered a great spot to enjoy now. This is classic Crozes, savory, mineral, structured, ageworthy, and one of the best Crozes-Hermitage buys with bottle age right now!
Wine Advocate (Joe Czerwinski) 93+ points! "Seemingly refined by the additional elevage since I reviewed a barrel sample last year, the 2019 Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert remains a big, rich, dark-fruited and almost tarry effort, but this full-bodied wine is pleasantly velvety and marked by savory notes of scorched wood and black olive tapenade that linger on the finish."
John Gilman 92 points! " The 2019 vintage of the Domaine de Thalabert from Paul Jaboulet is a superb young wine that very much recalls the 1990 version when it was young, with perhaps even more depth and potential plushness. The hail on June 15th of 2019 was centered on the southern half of the Crozes appellation, which is unfortunately where the Domaine de Thalabert was situated, so I have to imagine this wine was made from yields that were cut back by half from the hail in early summer. But, the wine has really turned out beautifully, coming in ripe and complex at fifteen percent octane and delivering a deep bouquet of black raspberries, smoked meats, pepper, black tea, a beautiful base of soil tones, a touch of bitter chocolate, black olive and plenty of upper register smokiness. On the palate the wine is plush, full-bodied, firm and beautifully balanced, with a sappy core of black fruit, superb soil signature, ripe, buried tannins and a long, complex and refined finish. This is a big and ripe vintage of the Thalabert, but impeccably balanced at the same time. Fine, fine juice. (Drink between 2029-2055)"
Vinous (Josh Raynolds) 92 points! " Saturated ruby. Smoke-accented cherry, blackberry and lavender aromas show excellent clarity and pick up a spicy nuance with air. Plush black and blue fruit, olive and cola flavors show very good breadth and are complicated by an allspice nuance that builds in the glass. Finishes on a youthfully tannic note, with building spiciness and resonating blue fruit and floral notes. (Drink between 2026-2034)"
2019 Paul Jaboulet Aine Domaine de Thalabert Crozes-Hermitage
2019 Paul Jaboulet Aine Domaine de Thalabert Crozes-Hermitage
Domaine de Thalabert has been an incredible buy from Jaboulet over the years, and today we were able to source back-vintage bottles of the excellent 2019 at close to original release pricing, just released from the domaine. Thalabert was Jaboulet’s inaugural vineyard purchase in 1834 and remains one of the benchmark sites of Crozes-Hermitage, holding a special place in the domaine’s history and receiving serious attention each vintage. The vineyard sits on the stony glacial terraces of Crozes, a key sector sought after by many top producers, with mature Syrah vines and some sections reaching upwards of 80 years old. Since the Frey family purchased Jaboulet, quality has climbed significantly through lower yields, biodynamic farming, and more precise work in both the vineyard and cellar. The 2019 vintage was outstanding in the Northern Rhône, producing Syrahs with ripe concentration, dark fruit, spice, and firm but polished structure, and Thalabert is one of the great values of the year and has entered a great spot to enjoy now. This is classic Crozes, savory, mineral, structured, ageworthy, and one of the best Crozes-Hermitage buys with bottle age right now!
Wine Advocate (Joe Czerwinski) 93+ points! "Seemingly refined by the additional elevage since I reviewed a barrel sample last year, the 2019 Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert remains a big, rich, dark-fruited and almost tarry effort, but this full-bodied wine is pleasantly velvety and marked by savory notes of scorched wood and black olive tapenade that linger on the finish."
John Gilman 92 points! " The 2019 vintage of the Domaine de Thalabert from Paul Jaboulet is a superb young wine that very much recalls the 1990 version when it was young, with perhaps even more depth and potential plushness. The hail on June 15th of 2019 was centered on the southern half of the Crozes appellation, which is unfortunately where the Domaine de Thalabert was situated, so I have to imagine this wine was made from yields that were cut back by half from the hail in early summer. But, the wine has really turned out beautifully, coming in ripe and complex at fifteen percent octane and delivering a deep bouquet of black raspberries, smoked meats, pepper, black tea, a beautiful base of soil tones, a touch of bitter chocolate, black olive and plenty of upper register smokiness. On the palate the wine is plush, full-bodied, firm and beautifully balanced, with a sappy core of black fruit, superb soil signature, ripe, buried tannins and a long, complex and refined finish. This is a big and ripe vintage of the Thalabert, but impeccably balanced at the same time. Fine, fine juice. (Drink between 2029-2055)"
Vinous (Josh Raynolds) 92 points! " Saturated ruby. Smoke-accented cherry, blackberry and lavender aromas show excellent clarity and pick up a spicy nuance with air. Plush black and blue fruit, olive and cola flavors show very good breadth and are complicated by an allspice nuance that builds in the glass. Finishes on a youthfully tannic note, with building spiciness and resonating blue fruit and floral notes. (Drink between 2026-2034)"
