Paul Jaboulet Domaine de Thalabert Crozes-Hermitage, 1996

Now this is what I expected, but did not get, from last night's Saint Joseph Offerus. It is three years older than the Saint Joseph but tastes at least a decade younger. What it has, that the Saint Joseph lacks, is intensity and depth of flavor. But then I have long known that Domaine de Thalabert is a special wine, a baby Hermitage.

There is plenty of sediment as there was with the Chave wine. The color is brickish ruby but significantly more saturated. Intensity plus plus--red and black fruits, leather and spice. And once it is in the mouth, the flavors begin to explode. No use trying to pinpoint descriptors; it's Northern Rhone Syrah at its best. Acidity, fruit, tannin, alcohol all beautifully balanced. Although it is now 20 years old, I would still rank this as a "young" Thalabert. And a very good one.