By one of the most enduring marques in Cotes du Rhone, Antoine Jaboulet established vines here in 1834, his legacy remains, a catalog of the most renowned Vignoble and Domaines in all France. Every year, an exquisite wine is born from the Jaboulet vineyards, an enticing elixir of dulcet appeal and celestial charm that's shaped by nature. Medieval historian Pliny the Elder referred to this wine in his Natural History, but it was not until the seventeenth century, when the site was planted to Muscat, that Vin Doux Naturel was to become famous.
For almost two centuries, Paul Jaboulet has shared in the passion and dedication of his Rhone Valley growers. From fully mature vines over thirty years of age, yielding small berried Muscat grapes, planted to pebbly limestone slopes between the Dentelles de Montmirail and Mont Ventoux. The harvest is highly selective, grapes are directly pressed after successive passes through the vineyard, in search of fruit with a minimum natural sugar content of 252 grams per litre. A cold vinification on sedimentery lees brings the desired residual sugar level of 11%. Ferments are then arrested by Mutage, the addition of a neutral alcohol. A period of cool maturation ensues, followed by a further term of age in bottle.
Clear, bright golden hue. White peach, quince and exotic fruit aromas, followed by notes of honey and candied fruit. The palate starts out full and fresh, floral citrus notes and preserved pith, lemon marmalade and apricot flavoues before a warm finale lychees, lemon and curd. Drink as aperitif or douse over iced melon, enjoy with sorbets or almond and peach gratin.
