Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Maison Bleue 2020

If you’re looking for the soul of the Northern Rhône without the “La Chapelle” price tag, the 2020 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Maison Bleue is exactly where you want to be.

This isn’t just a second label; it’s a focused, terroir-driven expression of the eastern side of the Hermitage hill (think Les Murets and La Croix). While its big brother is built for the next half-century, La Maison Bleue is all about that rare intersection of Hermitage power and immediate, velvety charm.

The Profile

The Nose: It’s incredibly fragrant—think high-toned black raspberry and Morello cherry meeting savory notes of pipe tobacco, black olive, and crushed granite.

The Palate: At 15.5% ABV, it’s a big wine, but it wears its weight with grace. You get a dense core of blackberry and plum layered with mocha and baking spices. The tannins are “softly dusty”—present enough to give it structure, but silky enough to make it approachable sooner than you’d expect.

The Finish: Long, mineral-drenched, and punctuated by a distinct bloody iron note that reminds you exactly where these Syrah vines grew.

The 2020 vintage in the Rhône was a year of sunshine and concentration, and Caroline Frey has captured that heat while maintaining a gorgeous sense of freshness. It’s a hedonistic bottle that still respects the austerity of the hill.