Community Tasting Note

• RichardFlack wrote: 87 points

  August 4, 2022 - Almost attains “mostly harmless” category in the immortal words of the Galactic Encyclopedia.
  
  Tasted between 1 and four hours after decant. Minimal evolution.
  
  Nose. Plummy, rather muted. Mystery grape.
  Palate. Meh. Smooth to point of boredom; easy, zero grip. Tannins way over in the next parish. Low acid. Like a 60% scale model of a Napa. Plummy (more on stewed side than jammy) , slightly peppery finish. Not as apparently alcoholic as might have been expected. Unexciting. Poor match for bbq steak, which is failing its primary job description. Now, what do I do with second bottle ….

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5 Comments

• Geoffy commented:

  8/18/22, 1:52 PM - So not a fan, then?

• RichardFlack commented:

  8/18/22, 2:46 PM - Oh did I give myself away? :)
  Def not of this iteration. Back when the world was young, Thalabert was my goto value Rhone, but I think they lost the plot a decade or more ago. I had a number of disappointing bottles in the last decade. This post was prompted by the coincidence of my having got 2 bottles of 2017 on a whim, and a discussion on Wineberserkers of the 2018.
  For a bit of fun google the notes on the 2017 by Josh Raynolds (Vinous) and Richard Hemming (Purple Pages) - its as if they are tasting two different wines.

• Echinosum commented:

  8/19/22, 1:00 AM - If you want a Crozes that will be a barbecue wine, you should try one of the "modern style" ones, like Colombier "Gaby" or Cuilleron "Laya", and doubtless many more.
  
  Thalabert, properly understood, is never going to be that "barbecue wine" you were looking for. Like many top NR syrahs, it often goes into a dumb phase around this age. I don't even consider pulling the cork until it is at least 8 - but it can take longer.
  
  You have that 2nd bottle. Keep it 5 years, and maybe then you will understand why many people are appreciative of Thalabert, now restored to its earlier glory, and think 2017 is a top vintage for it.
  
  Btw, you are right that Thalabert did change around about 2008, when the Frey's bought PJA. But most people would say that was when PJA got the plot back again, having lost it in the early 90s when Gerard Jaboulet stepped back from cellar management. It is the Thalaberts of approx 1992-2007 that are untypical, rather than the other way around.

• RichardFlack commented:

  8/19/22, 8:45 AM - My comment about BBQ steak was probably incomplete, sorry about that I don’t use normal BBQ sauc, though I do make my own red wine grilling sauce, which I wasnt using this time, grilled steak might have been more accurate. The thing that stood out for me was the lack of tannin fir such a young wine. And it was just dead boring. I will keep the 2nd bottle but seriously doubt this is going anywhere.
  My peak buy g years fir Thalabert were 70s and early 80s
  Thanks for the comments.
  You may be interested in the WB thread on the 2018 too.

• Geoffy commented:

  8/20/22, 9:26 AM - Thanks, folks. Very helpful comments.

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