Domaine Albin Jacumin Chateauneuf-du-Pape A Aime 2019

“...in short, 2019 appears to be a beautiful, possibly exceptional, vintage for the Southern Rhône.” – Jeb Dunnuck

Domaine Albin Jacumin has been one of our favorite Châteauneuf du Pape producers for a few years running, and this 2019 top cuvee just adds to the list of what makes these folks so spectacular. With over 30% savings on their flagship wine – this is something that every Rhone lover needs to add to their collection. Tremendous now, but with a promise of a beautiful deepening of complexities over the next decade-plus, join me in adding a few of these to your stash.

This wine is a tribute to Albin’s grandfather “Aimé” – who had co-planted these two plots to all 13 traditionally allowed CdP varieties back in the 1930s. At an average age of over 80 years, these are some seriously old, amazingly gnarly vines that easily makeup in flavor what they lack in total yields. After manual harvesting and sorting in the vineyards, this flagship offering sees the royal treatment in the cellar and the results are clear in the glass. As Jeb puts it succinctly with a 94-point review: “...the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape A Aimé boasts a vivid purple hue as well as a gorgeous perfume of kirsch, blackberries, new leather, peppery herbs, and assorted spices. Medium to full-bodied, pure, and balanced, this estate did a great job managing the tannins in the vintage...”

He went on to mark Jacumin as “an estate savvy readers should keep a close eye on, as the quality from Albin Jacumin has been on an upward trajectory.” We are in full agreement on both counts, and that was before we shared a magical meal with Albin and his wife, Agnes, at their home (their living room window was perfectly situated beneath the old Châteauneuf du Pape ruin, with a moon rising behind, no less!) The Jacumins are strictly traditional when it comes to their winemaking, with everything fermented in concrete, and aged in a combination of new and used vessels with careful blending (and lots of sampling!) throughout. Only 100 cases of this cuvee is bottled each year – a spicy, elegantly fragrant and velvety wine that perfectly showcases the ripe red and black fruits, the roasted herbs, and the penetrating warmth of a great Châteauneuf-du-Pape. At under $50, this is a bargain – a direct competitor with wines more than double this price!

PAIRING IDEAS: Albin and Agnes recommend a wild boar stew, and while I’m on board...wild boar can be tough to find. Go for this classic pork and beans cassoulet instead.