Paul Jaboulet AinéLa Maison Bleue 2017

Jaboulet's 2017 Hermitage La Maison Bleue is flat-out sexy stuff, full-bodied, plush and generous without being overripe or unstructured. Licorice, cassis and Asian five-spice powder burst from the glass in a complex whirl of scents and flavors. Sourced from the eastern end of the appellation, it offers immediate gratification and admirable quality at a fraction of the price of the La Chapelle.

There are 2,000 cases of the 2017 Hermitage La Maison Bleue, which is all from the more limestone and loamy soils on the eastern side of the appellation. Aged in 15% new barrels and demi-muids, it has a youthful, fruit-forward, even sexy profile as well as terrific notes of black raspberries, melted licorice, truffles, violets, and bloody meat. It’s young and unevolved, with beautiful depth of fruit, and it’s undeniably better than many vintages of La Chapelle from the 1990s and 2000s.

This is utterly delicious and has a very plush and sweetly fruited core of flavor with a sweepingly fleshy, rich and quite plush feel. The tannins are very fine here; sleek and assertive, they seem to suggest early drinking. It’s so balanced, too. However, this deserves to be reserved for later, as there’s a lot more to come. Try from 2024.

Glass-staining magenta. A complex, expansive bouquet evokes ripe dark berries, potpourri and incense. Exotic spice and mineral notes build with air. Sweet, focused and penetrating in the mouth, offering spice-tinged boysenberry, cherry preserve and violet pastille flavors that are braced by a core of juicy acidity. Blends concentration and energy smoothly and finishes with strong, gently tannic persistence.

-- Josh Raynolds