Paul Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage Domaine Thalabert, 1991

Thirty years is a long time to keep a Crozes-Hermitage...but not this Crozes. This is actually one of the younger Thalaberts in my cellar, and I know that several others (most notably the 1983, 1988 and 1990) are still drinking marvelously. John Livingstone-Learmouth gives this 1991 five stars with a drinking window of 2018-2021.

Good deep color for a 30-year-old reds; substantial sediment crusting on one side of the bottle. Bouquet opens beautifully with aeration and decanting. Black fruits, cassis, prominent black olives and hint of pepper. Savory olives on entry, then gets bigger and sweeter on mid-palate before releasing expansive mature Syrah flavors on the finish. Good acid/fruit balance. Makes the tongue tingle and beg for more. Unquestionably the best Crozes-Hermitage, Domaine Thalabert, in nearly any vintage of the 1980s or 1990s, is at least as good as any Hermitage I have ever had.