Paul Jaboulet Wine (Winemaking, Best Wines, Prices 2024)
Why are the Paul Jaboulet vintages so highly-regarded? What other wines does Paul Jaboulet Aine make?
Let’s dive into the background of this legendary winemaker, look at some of the best Paul Jaboulet vintages, explore their investment potential and the Smartest Way To Invest In These Rhone Wine Bottles.
Further reading
- Check out this guide to the smartest and easiest way to go about Investing in Wine.
- Did you know: The best Champagnes aren't only for drinking — they’re also a super-smart investment!
The Legendary Paul Jaboulet Aine
Paul Jaboulet Aine has been a Rhone Valley star since the 1800s and is based in the Tain L Hermitage commune of France.
The Jaboulet Aine winery has over 100 hectares under vine in the northern Rhone appellations of Crozes Hermitage, Hermitage, Condrieu and Cornas. It also has holdings in southern Rhone, including the fantastic terroirs of Châteauneuf du Pape and Gigondas.
Its most celebrated wine is the 100% Syrah, Hermitage La Chapelle.
Let’s take a closer look at this producer’s background.
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Paul Jaboulet Aine and the Hermit’s Hill: A History
The tale of Paul Jaboulet Aine began in 1834 when the estate’s pioneer, Antoine Jaboulet, found a small domaine on the hills of Hermitage. (Hermitage gets its name from the legend of a wounded knight who, while returning from the Crusades, sought refuge and lived in the hills as a hermit.)
Antoine expanded his holdings by buying several plots including the notable Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert. He swiftly built up a formidable reputation for quality that subsequent generations of the Jaboulet family lived up to.
The numerous successes in the 70s and 80s were followed by a downturn in the 1990s. But, it didn’t last for long.
In 2006, Jean-Jacques Frey acquired Maison Paul Jaboulet Aine. The Frey family are renowned winemakers in Champagne and own the Chateau La Lagune in Bordeaux.
Jean-Jacques appointed his daughter, Caroline Frey, to head the new team and also brought winemaker Jacques Desvernois onboard.
Caroline, along with winemaker Jacques Desvernois, made significant changes to the estate, including moving to organic and biodynamic farming. Their efforts show in recent vintages as the wines returned to their former glory of the 70s and 80s.
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The Wines and Grapes of Paul Jaboulet Aine
Jaboulet’s greatest wines are made in the renowned Hermitage appellation in the Rhone Valley. Paul Jaboulet Aine gained full organic accreditation in 2016, and most of the vineyards are now worked biodynamically.
Apart from the highly esteemed Hermitage La Chapelle, this estate produces a wide range of red and white wines in Cotes du Rhone.
Most of the northern Rhone red wines are based on the Syrah grape, and white wine is made from Marsanne, Roussanne, and Viognier.
Some other popular wines include:
- Chevalier de Sterimberg Hermitage Blanc, which is also a Marsanne and Roussanne blend
- Crozes-Hermitage Les Jalets made of Syrah
- Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Cèdres, which is a southern Rhone blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, and Mourvedre
- The white Hermitage La Chapelle Blanc, made from Marsanne and Roussanne, with grapes sourced exclusively from the Les Rocoules vineyard
- Easy-drinking wines, like the Aine Crozes Hermitage Thalabert
Let’s now look at Paul Jaboulet Aine’s most precious jewel — the Hermitage La Chapelle wine.
Further reading:
- Uncover the best vintages of Italian Chianti.
- Check out the revered Châteauneuf du Pape, or experience the magic of Bordeaux through these Pomerol wines!
Hermitage La Chapelle
The Hermitage La Chapelle wine draws its name from the 13th century Chapel of St Christopher in the Hermitage vineyard.
As amusing as it may sound, wines from Hermitage were used only to boost lackluster vintages from Bordeaux in the 19th century! However, the iconic 1961 La Chapelle vintage completely changed this, increasing interest in the vineyard and its wines.
Made of 100% Syrah, the grapes for La Chapelle come from the best Hermitage plots, including Le Meal, Les Bessards, and Les Rocoules vineyards.
The incredibly steep southwest-facing slopes give old Syrah vines warmth throughout the day and in the early evening. The granite soil is covered with gneiss and mica-schist, with deposits of round, alluvial pebbles. It is this composition that gives the La Chapelle wine its famously complex expression.
Only about 2,000 cases of this wine are made annually, so this is one to keep an eye out for. Some of the best vintages to-date are 1961, 1978, 1985, 2010, 2015, and 2018.
Also read: Need ideas for Wine Gifts?
A set of beautiful Champagne Glasses, a bottle of sweet Riesling or delicate Rose Wine would make any wine lover happy!
Liquid Gems of Paul Jaboulet Aine: The Best Ones to Buy in 2024 (Including Tasting Notes, Prices)
Here are some bottles you should consider adding to your collection.
1. Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 1961
The deep nose of this 1961 vintage explodes with aromas of ripe brambles, cassis, blueberries and violets. The medium-bodied palate is intense, fresh but also delicate, with a refined tannin structure and a vivid, elegant finish. Drink between 2015-2060.
Price of Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 1961: $16,170+
2. Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 1978
Lush and full-bodied, the 1978 Hermitage La Chapelle is perfumed with the scents of intense plum, smoke, dark cherry, black olive and licorice. Powerful and fresh, it finishes with a flourish of red fruit and black fruit. Drink between 2015-2040.
Price of Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 1978: $1,720+
3. Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 1990
The 1990 vintage offers spectacular textbook aromas of incense, smoke, blackberry fruit, cassis and peppery spice. There is extraordinary freshness in addition to abundant tannin, with an amazingly long finish. Drink from 2002 to 2040.
Price of Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 1990: $780+
4. Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2015
The 2015 Hermitage La Chapelle is considered by many to be the finest wine from this estate in nearly 30 years. Offering sensational aromas of blackcurrants and smoke, and tasting of concentrated dark berry, this wine leaves an impression of elegance. Drink between 2027-2050.
Price of Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2015: $260+
5. Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2018
Jaboulet’s 2018 Hermitage La Chapelle features scents of crushed stone, cassis and violets. This full-bodied and powerful red wine is airy yet, with no sense of heaviness. The finish is long and softly dusty, offering hints of licorice at the end. Drink between 2023-2045.
Price of Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2018: $220+
6. Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle Blanc 2010
The lovely Marsanne wine is rich, dense, and focused with palate-staining flavors of orchard and pit fruit. Broad and smooth, but also light, it finishes long with notes of honey and bitter pear skin. Drink from 2019 to 2040.
Price of Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle Blanc 2010: $300+
7. Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage Blanc Vin de Paille 2006
The lovely dessert wine is 100% Marsanne. Rich and unctuous, its tasting notes include notions of honey-drizzled stone fruits, citrus, grilled nuts and white flowers. This would pair perfectly with stone fruit desserts like apricot Tarte Tatin.
Price of Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage Blanc Vin de Paille 2006: $330+
8. Paul Jaboulet Aine Côte Rôtie Les Jumelles 1978
The 1978 Côte Rôtie shows depth and breadth with notes of graphite, coffee bean, crushed gravel and potpourri spice. The opulent palate is plush and fleshy, well-balanced with a salty black fruit note.
Price of Paul Jaboulet Aine Côte Rôtie Les Jumelles 1978: $200+
9. Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Petite Chapelle - La Maison Bleue 2006
The La Maison Bleue used to be known as La Petite Chapelle until 2014. The 2006 vintage offers a nose of smoke, vibrant black fruit and raspberry airs. The well-balanced palate has a fine concentration of fruit with a hint of mint.
Price of Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Petite Chapelle - La Maison Bleue 2006: $120+
Now, several Paul Jaboulet wines are intense and long-lived. But, which of these wines are good for long-term investment?
Investing in Paul Jaboulet Aine
The most influential of the Jaboulet wines is the Hermitage La Chapelle, which often fetches astronomical sums at auctions. At a 2007 Christie’s auction, a case (12 bottles) of the 1961 vintage sold at a record-breaking $175,250+.
The extremely rare 1961, 1978, and 1990 La Chapelle vintages garnered the perfect 100/100 score from wine critic Robert Parker.
These wines have continued to generate value even decades down the road. The 1990 vintage, for example, has seen a rise in value from $380+ per bottle in 2015 to $780+ per bottle in 2021.
Though quality dipped a little around the 1990s, this Grand Vin has made a comeback with the 2009 vintage onwards. Some solid contenders to note are the:
- 2015 vintage, earning 98-points from Robert Parker and Antonio Galloni
- 2018 vintage, which got another perfect 100-point score from Robert Parker
The Hermitage La Chapelle Blanc is another high-scoring cuvée and is one to watch.
You can look forward to some fantastic, reliable Rhone Valley wines from this estate in years to come as well. Now the problem is, investment-worthy Paul Jaboulet vintages aren’t easy to come by. Online wine merchants, auctions, wine exchanges are all fair ground for hunting these wines. But it will be time consuming and costly to buy, ship, and store them yourself.There has to be an easier way, right?How about getting Vinovest to lend you a hand?
You’ll be able to easily invest in Paul Jaboulet Aine and other incredible wines from around the world - be it a Chateau Lafite, Pouilly-Fuisse, Domaine Coche Dury, or a Giacomo Conterno.
Also read: While Pinot Blanc and Barbera d’Asti aren’t investment wines, they make a delicious drinking experience.
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A Taste of Hermitage Hills in A Decanter of Paul Jaboulet
Jaboulet wines like the Aine Crozes Hermitage Thalabert or the Hermitage Chevalier de Sterimberg are accessible yet still offer a richness of character and uncompromising quality. Meanwhile, the Hermitage La Chapelle is oft-revered on par with Bordeaux First Growths — and is a great candidate for your investment portfolio.
And your easiest bet to invest in fine wines like the La Chapelle is through Vinovest.So, why not sign-up with Vinovest today and add a Paul Jaboulet wine to kickstart your portfolio?
