Paul Jaboulet-Aîné : Les Cassines 2024

Characteristics and Tasting Tips for Les Cassines 2024 from Paul Jaboulet-Aîné

Tasting

Colour

This Condrieu reveals a pale yellow hue, bright and clear, a sign of careful winemaking and perfectly judged ripeness in the Viognier grapes.

Nose

The nose opens with a delicately floral bouquet, dominated by orange blossom, intermingled with notes of vineyard peach and melon. Hints of exotic fruits, such as lychee and pineapple, enrich this aromatic palette and add an extra layer of indulgence.

Palate

On the palate, the wine captivates with its freshness and aromatic intensity, driven by flavours of stone fruit and citrus. The velvety, enveloping texture carries through to a lingering finish marked by a fine bitterness that adds definition and tension to the whole.

Food and Wine Pairing

Les Cassines 2024 pairs beautifully with spicy and exotic cuisine, such as Thai curry or sushi and spring rolls. It also lends itself to more classic pairings, such as a shellfish salad with green apples, pan-seared foie gras with a fruity touch, or soft-ripened cheeses.

Serving and Cellaring

Les Cassines 2024 is ideally served at a temperature between 12 and 14°C. With an ageing potential of 3 to 5 years, this wine can be enjoyed from bottling and up to around 2029.

A Condrieu from the Granite Slopes of Paul Jaboulet-Aîné

The estate

Founded in 1834 by Antoine Jaboulet in Tain l'Hermitage, in the northern Rhône Valley, the House of Paul Jaboulet-Aîné has built its reputation on the finest terroirs of Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, Saint-Joseph, Cornas, Côte-Rôtie and Condrieu. Since 2006, the estate has belonged to the Frey family, led by Jean-Jacques Frey, who initiated a conversion to organic farming and then biodynamics, with certification across the entire vineyard since 2021.

The vineyard

Les Cassines comes from Viognier plots planted on steep slopes in the Condrieu appellation, overlooking the Rhône. The granitic soils, resting on ancient glacial alluvium, enjoy a south and south-easterly exposure. Farmed organically and biodynamically, the vines are cultivated at very low yields, between 15 and 25 hectolitres per hectare.

The vintage

The 2024 vintage began with a mild, dry winter, followed by a rainy spring that led to early budburst and then a slowdown in growth in May, with a drawn-out flowering. Downy mildew pressure was felt in spring, but the vines suffered no water stress. The hot summer allowed for rapid, even ripening, with the harvest taking place from 12 to 20 September.

Winemaking and ageing

The grapes for Les Cassines 2024 are hand-harvested in small crates, then whole-bunch pressed to preserve the finesse of the fruit. Fermentation takes place at low temperature, divided between French oak barrels, stainless steel tanks and concrete eggs. The wine is then aged on fine lees for eight months in these different vessels, lending roundness and complexity to the texture.

Grape variety

This wine is made from Viognier.