2015 Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné "Domaine de Thalabert" Crozes-Hermitage

“The finest vintage to date, better even than the stellar 2010, the 2015 Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert is a gorgeous, deep, layered, and incredibly satisfying Crozes. Blackcurrants, olive tapenade, truffles and earthy notes all emerge from this full-bodied, gorgeously textured and seamless 2015.” (01/2018)

“Inky ruby. Suave, mineral-accented scents of ripe blueberry, black currant and Indian spices, along with a slowly emerging floral component. Plush, broad and deeply concentrated, displaying black and blue fruit, licorice and mocha flavors that are energized by an intense, peppery overtone. Finishes extremely long, fleshy and sweet, delivering intense mineral thrust, a subtle cracked pepper nuance and youthful, building tannins. (JR)” (04/2018)

“This is a real treat. Not only does this northern Rhône Syrah have nearly a decade's ageing under its belt, it's also from the incredible 2015 vintage, declared at the time by one leading producer in the region as 'surely the vintage of a lifetime'. Fruit-packed still and tannin-structured, this is serious stuff, dark and earthy with fresh black berry fruit, medicinal, iodine notes, black olive, and tertiary complexity. Gutsy wine, perfect for a winter's evening – snap it up while you can. (AW)” (10/2023)

“Smooth, impressive flesh and weight. Graphite-like stony minerally aromas with dark cherries and darker plums, the oak adding cedary woody notes. The palate has an impressive plushness as well as assertive tannins below. Extremely defined, pure and attractive. A great vintage.” (09/2017)

“The 2015 Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert is a super effort, packed with savory notes of black olives and crushed stones. It's full-bodied and rich, with a hint of cedary oak, but there's plenty of fruit and ripe tannins on the lingering finish. Like some of those fine Thalabert vintages of the past, it should drink well for a couple of decades. (JC) 93+” (12/2017)

“The 2015 Crozes-Hermitage “Domaine de Thalabert” bottling from Paul Jaboulet Âiné is a touch riper than their les Jalets bottling, coming in at 13.5 percent on the label (versus thirteen), but is nicely precise in its fruit expression and has nice mineral undertow. The cuvée is made entirely from sixty to eighty year-old vines these days and aged in twenty percent new oak. The 2015 version is excellent, offering up a nascently complex bouquet of cassis, black raspberries, roasted meats, pepper, bonfire, a nice touch of cedar, new leather and a fine base of dark soil tones. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and youthful, with a profile that shows a touch of sur maturité in its flavors, but no backend heat on the long, ripely tannic and nicely focused finish. This is a young and promising wine that has plenty of mid-palate stuffing and the backend mineral drive to be outstanding in the fullness of time, but it is a young wine that emphatically deserves some time in the cellar to blossom.” (02/2018)