| Region of production: | Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, Condrieu, Saint-Joseph, Cornas, Saint-Péray |
| Winery Location: | La Roche-de-Glun |
| Year Established: | 1834 |
Vineyard Holdings
103 ha total
Hermitage: 22 ha Syrah; 5 ha Marsanne and Roussanne
- Le Méal: 6.8 ha Syrah
- Les Bessards: 2.6 ha Syrah
- La Croix: 7.0 ha Syrah; 0.7 ha Roussanne; 1.5 ha Marsanne (some of which was planted in 1900)
- Rocoules: 2.1 ha Syrah; 0.8 ha Marsanne; 0.3 ha Roussanne
- Maison Blanche: 0.7 ha Marsanne; 0.3 ha Roussanne
- Les Greffieux: 0.53 ha Syrah
Crozes-Hermitage
- Thalabert: 40 ha Syrah, average vine age 50 years; soil is rounded alluvial stones with clay-limestone
- Les Blancs: 3.1 ha Marsanne, with the oldest vines planted in 1900; soil is deep brown clay
- Sassenas: 2 ha Syrah; soil is loess and alluvial stone
- Les Voussères: 2.4 ha Syrah, planted 1960s; soil is sandy granite and clay
Top Wines Produced
- Hermitage Rouge “La Chapelle”: a barrel selection based around on Le Méal, with Les Bessards, Les Greffieux and La Croix usually key components
- Hermitage Blanc “La Chapelle”: 80% Marsanne, 20% Roussanne from Rocoules
- Hermitage Blanc “Chevalier de Stérimberg”: 65% Marsanne, 35% Roussanne
- Crozes-Hermitage “Domaine Thalabert”: 100% Syrah from Thalabert
- Crozes-Hermitage Rouge “Domaine de Roure”: 100% Syrah from the old Raymond Roure vines at Sassenas and Voussères
- Crozes-Hermitage Blanc “Domaine de Roure”: 100% Marsanne from the old Raymond Roure vines at Les Blancs
Inaugural Vintages
- Hermitage Blanc“La Chapelle” in 2006
- Crozes-Hermitage Rouge/Blanc“Domaine de Roure” in 1996
Average Total Production
- N/A
Summary
Founded in 1834 by Paul Jaboulet, Jaboulet Aîné (aîné means “older brother,” a reference to Paul) is one of the great, historic names in the Northern Rhône. The house stayed in the family through multiple generations until being sold in 2006 to the Swiss financier Jean-Jacques Frey (owner of Château La Lagune and a shareholder in Billecart-Salmon and Ayala). In the eyes of many critics, the quality of the Jaboulet wines had slipped, particularly since the early passing in 1997 of Gérard Jaboulet yet Caroline Frey, now in charge of the winemaking, is keen to restore the house to its previous glory. The top Hermitage bottlings of the estate are named “La Chapelle” after the small chapel of Saint Christopher in the climat of l’Hermite; Jaboulet has owned the chapel itself since 1929 (though they own no vines in that climat).
Style & Vinification Techniques
The main change instituted by the new Frey regime has been a stricter selection for the top wines, with only 2,000 cases bottled of the 2009 Hermitage Rouge “La Chapelle” – roughly one-quarter the volume of the average-quality 2000 vintage. The white wines are whole-cluster pressed and vinified entirely in oak (about one-third new for the top wines), though “La Chapelle” Blanc is vinified and aged in larger casks rather than barriques. The lees are stirred regularly for the whites. The reds are completely de-stemmed, vinified in stainless steel with regular remontages and aged in barriques (20% new for the top wines) for 12-15 months.
Producer Website: Paul Jaboulet Aîné