April 28th: The Rhône Valley: South vs. North - Château La Nerthe & Domaines Paul Jaboulet Aîné
At Vinonueva | 5145 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL, 33137 | 7:00 pm-8:30 pm
Click HERE to get tickets
In partnership with Kobrand
The Rhône Valley is one of the clearest examples of contrast within a single wine region. Split into south and north, the differences go beyond geography—they shape the climate, grape varieties, and ultimately the style of the wines.
In the south, the landscape opens up into a warmer, Mediterranean setting, where blends dominate. Here, wines are broader and more generous, built on balance between varieties rather than a single voice.
In the north, vineyards sit on steep, terraced slopes along the river, producing structured, Syrah-driven wines that feel precise and focused—often centered on a single grape and a more defined expression.
To bring this into focus, we’ll taste two producers—Château La Nerthe from the south and Paul Jaboulet Aîné from the north.
We’ll be joined by Antoine Collet, French wine specialist from Kobrand, who will guide us through the wines.
BACKGROUND
Southern Rhône: Château La Nerthe (Châteauneuf-du-Pape)
Château La Nerthe is one of the historic estates of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Over time, it has played an important role in shaping the region's style and identity.
The estate sits just south of the village, surrounded by vineyards, olive trees, and Mediterranean vegetation. Its soils are varied, which helps bring balance to the wines in a warm climate.
The origins of Château La Nerthe date back to 1590, when it was acquired by the Tulle de Villefranche family. Over the next three centuries, the family helped establish the estate’s reputation, even pioneering practices that were far ahead of their time—including bottling wine at the estate as early as 1776 and exporting internationally by the late 18th century.
Following the devastation caused by phylloxera in the 19th century, the estate was revitalized by Commander Joseph Ducos, who played a crucial role in replanting the vineyards with grafted vines. His work not only restored the property but also helped shape the future of Châteauneuf-du-Pape as a whole. The grape varieties he preserved—Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and others—remain the backbone of the region’s blends.
TERROIR & VINEYARD
Today, under the Richard family, the estate continues to evolve with a strong focus on balance and observation rather than intervention. The vineyards are organically farmed since the late 1990s and include old vines—some dating back to the 19th century—particularly on the famed La Crau plateau.
Work in the vineyard is highly detailed—pruning, soil management, and harvest decisions are all done parcel by parcel. Harvest is entirely by hand, allowing each grape variety and plot to be picked at the right moment.
There’s also a clear effort to support the broader ecosystem: cover crops, hedges, fruit trees, and even sheep for winter grazing. It’s a practical, long-term approach rather than an overly dogmatic one.
Natural springs and surrounding woodland also play an important role, helping preserve freshness and supporting biodiversity across the estate.
The 92-hectare vineyard at Château La Nerthe is divided into 57 individual plots. While the climate is typically Mediterranean—warm, dry, and influenced by the Mistral wind—the real complexity comes from the soils: stones, sand, clay, and limestone, often within the same estate. Add to that all 13 permitted grape varieties of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and you get a true patchwork of micro-terroirs.
CELLAR
The same level of precision carries into the cellar.
Grapes are sorted first in the vineyard and again at the winery. Fermentation is carried out with native yeasts, and each plot is vinified separately to preserve its identity.
Extraction is gentle—more like an infusion than a force—with about 3 weeks of maceration. From there, aging is adapted to each wine, using a mix of large oak vessels, barrels, and casks.
Blending happens at the end, bringing together the different plots and varieties into a final wine that reflects both the vintage and the estate as a whole.
Northern Rhône: Domaines Paul Jaboulet Aîné (Hermitage & Beyond)
Paul Jaboulet Aîné is one of the defining producers of the Northern Rhône, based in Tain-l’Hermitage and rooted in the region since 1834.
While Château La Nerthe reflects the breadth and blending tradition of the south, Jaboulet represents the precision and structure of the north, where wines are often focused on a single grape and a single hillside.
The estate farms vineyards across some of the Northern Rhône’s key appellations, including Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage, and Cornas. At the center of it all is the Hermitage hill, one of the most iconic vineyard sites in France, where steep slopes and granite soils define the style.
Jaboulet is historically tied to one of the region’s most legendary wines, Hermitage La Chapelle—especially the 1961 vintage, often considered one of the greatest wines of the 20th century.
Since 2006, under the direction of Caroline Frey, the estate has shifted toward a more precise and vineyard-focused approach, with a strong emphasis on organic and biodynamic farming.
TERROIR & VINEYARD
Jaboulet farms over 100 hectares across the Northern Rhône, with vineyards stretching from Côte-Rôtie down to Cornas.
Here, the landscape is very different from the south—steeper, more fragmented, and more focused. The soils are largely granite, which plays a major role in shaping the wines, giving them structure, tension, and a more linear profile.
Unlike the Southern Rhône’s blending culture, the north is defined by grape specificity:
- Syrah for reds (Hermitage, Cornas, Côte-Rôtie)
- Marsanne & Roussanne for whites
Farming is organic and biodynamic, with a strong focus on soil health and long-term balance. There’s a lot of attention to detail—from biodiversity initiatives to ongoing experimentation in the vineyards—all aimed at improving resilience and expressing each site more clearly.
Harvest is done entirely by hand, with careful parcel-by-parcel picking to ensure optimal ripeness.
CELLAR
Winemaking here is about precision and restraint.
Grapes are carefully sorted—both by hand and optically—before fermentation. The goal is to preserve purity and let the vineyard speak clearly, rather than over-shaping the wine.
A wide range of vessels is used depending on the wine: concrete eggs, stainless steel, large oak casks, and barrels. Wood is used more selectively today, with less emphasis on new oak.
Aging varies by cuvée—for example:
- Hermitage tends to see longer aging (around 12 months in wood)
- Crozes-Hermitage (Thalabert) is typically shorter (around 9 months)
Blending happens after aging, bringing together different parcels and vessels to build complexity while maintaining clarity.
Check out the lineup for this tasting:
- Château La Nerthe - Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 2024
- Château La Nerthe - Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2015 (Library Release)
- Château La Nerthe - Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2005 (Library Release)
- Domaines Paul Jaboulet Aîné - Domaine de Roure Crozes-Hermitage Blanc 2021
- Domaines Paul Jaboulet Aîné - Domaine de la Chapelle Hermitage La Chapelle Rouge 2021
- Domaines Paul Jaboulet Aîné - Domaine de la Chapelle Hermitage La Chapelle Rouge 1988 (Library Release)
Photo credits: Château la Nerthe & Domaines Paul Jaboulet Aîné