Paul Jaboulet-Aîné : Incognito 2018

Characteristics and tasting advice for the Incognito 2018 from Paul Jaboulet-Aîné

Tasting

Appearance

The color reveals a bright pale yellow to golden yellow hue, enhanced by green highlights that reflect the youth of the vintage.

Nose

The nose opens with a complex aromatic expression, combining floral and fruity notes with mineral nuances. With aeration, the bouquet gradually reveals lightly mentholated touches that add extra freshness.

Palate

On the palate, this white wine charms with its freshness and minerality. The structure stands out for its great finesse and remarkable elegance. The palate evolves harmoniously, moving from fresh, fruity notes to a more pronounced mineral richness. The mineral, lingering finish reflects the quality of the terroir.

Food and wine pairings

This wine pairs perfectly with guacamole as a starter, boudin blanc, or curry rabbit. It also matches very well with goat cheese bricks, Roquefort mussels, scallop carpaccio with mango, sea bream with tarragon, or cod loin with spices.

Serving and cellaring

To fully enjoy the Incognito 2018, it is recommended to serve it at a temperature between 11 and 12°C. This wine can be enjoyed now but will continue to evolve until around 2028.

A white wine from the Rhône Valley born of exceptional terroirs

The estate

Founded in 1834 on the Hermitage hill in Tain-l'Hermitage, in the Rhône Valley, the Paul Jaboulet Aîné House is now owned by Caroline Frey, who also oversees its management. Under her leadership, the house has embarked on a transition to organic farming and biodynamics, supported by a new gravity-fed cellar and ISO 9001 and 14001 certifications.

The vineyard

Although classified under the Côtes du Rhône appellation, this wine comes from young vines located on the estate’s Hermitage La Chapelle and Petite Chapelle parcels. These vines, planted on the prestigious granite terroirs of the Hermitage hill, cannot claim the Hermitage appellation due to their young age. This distinctive feature offers the opportunity to discover the expression of an exceptional terroir at a more accessible price. The vineyard is managed according to organic farming principles.

The vintage

The 2018 vintage benefited from favorable climatic conditions in the Rhône Valley, allowing optimal ripening of the white grapes and the pure expression of the granite terroir of Hermitage.

Vinification and aging

The Incognito 2018 harvest was carried out by hand, with meticulous sorting done directly in the parcels. A rigorous selection was then carried out at the winery using optical and manual sorting tables. Vinification focused on preserving freshness and the terroir’s mineral expression, without excessive oak influence.

Grape varieties

Marsanne, Roussanne