Côtes du Rhône Rouge, Parallèle 45, Paul Jaboulet Aîné 2024
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Why this wine
Parallèle 45 is the wine that introduced a lot of people to the Rhône, and under Caroline Frey it is now certified organic and biodynamically farmed throughout. Nothing about it is heavy or oaked: it is a house red with a serious address behind it.
At a glance
- Grape
- Grenache 60%, Syrah 30%, Carignan 5%, Mourvèdre 5%
- Region
- Rhône Valley, France
- Alcohol
- 14.50%
- Body
- Medium
- Acidity
- Medium
- Tannins
- Medium
- Sweetness
- Dry
- Drink
- Drink now (1-3 yrs)
- Pairs with
- Red Meat, Poultry & Pork, Barbecue
How it tastes
Ripe strawberry and raspberry, layered with floral and spicy notes. The palate is fresh and supple, balanced rather than heavy, the tannins soft and the fruit unobscured by oak. Grenache 60%, Syrah 30%, Carignan 5%, Mourvèdre 5%.
The producer
Domaines Paul Jaboulet Aîné was founded in 1834 and works the iconic terroirs of the northern Rhône across seven appellations. The Frey family have owned it since 2006, with Caroline Frey as winemaker; the vineyards have been certified AB organic since 2016 and, since 2021, farmed biodynamically with a regenerative approach, alongside a nine-hectare wildlife reserve. Parallèle 45 is named for the latitude that crosses France a little over a mile from the Jaboulet cellars, and the fruit comes from vines averaging forty years on clay-limestone soils with alluvial deposits of round pebbles, the whole vineyard certified organic. Vinified by traditional methods, the wine spent six months on its fine lees in stainless steel and truncated cone vats, which is where its purity of fruit and freshness come from.
Food and drinking
Serve lightly chilled, at 15-16°C. Good with roast lamb, sausages and lentils, barbecued pork and a plate of charcuterie. Drink over the next one to three years, while the fruit is at its most forward; no decanting needed. Sealed with a technical cork. Suitable for vegetarians and vegans.