-
98
/ 100
The Drinks Business -
98
/ 100
Vinous -
97
/ 100
Bacchus Magazine -
97
/ 100
James Suckling -
95
/ 100
The Wine Advocate
Red
Classification
Syrah
Variety
2020
Vintage
750ml (Bottle)
Bottle Size
France
Country
Rhone Valley, Hermitage
Region
13.0%
Alcohol %
15 Plus Years
Cellaring
Scores
98 / 100"98 Points."
- The Drinks Business
98 / 100
"Glass-staining purple. Assertively perfumed cassis, cherry liqueur, fruitcake and floral aromas take on espresso, olive and smoky bacon accents with aeration. Juicy, chewy and energetic on the palate, offering densely packed, alluringly sweet black and blue fruit preserve, floral pastille, licorice and mocha flavors that become deeper and spicier as the wine slowly stretches out. The floral and mineral notes repeat emphatically on a wonderfully long, juicy and mineral-dominated finish that's framed by building, well-wrought tannins. - 96 to 98 Points - Josh Raynolds - Tasted Dec 2022"
- Vinous
97 / 100
"Founded almost two centuries ago, now owned by the Frey family, the Paul Jaboulet Ainé house has been, since 1919, the sole owner of this legendary plot: “La Chapelle”. It owes its name to the small Saint-Christophe chapel overlooking the terraced vineyard which overlooks the Rhône. La Chapelle is an extraordinary wine, capable of a thousand nuances, which expresses all the richness of Syrah in a completely unique and sensational way. In this vintage, this Hermitage displays a great depth characteristic of the vintage and succeeds, thanks to its mineral structure, in retaining an astonishing freshness which keeps the wine in balance. It expresses aromas of blackberries and blackcurrants, slightly stewed, with notes of smoke and sweet spices enhanced with a finely woody touch. A velvety texture, great complexity and flavors of impressive persistence, make this wine an exceptional nectar. Oxygenate in a carafe ±2 hours and serve at 17°C. Savor it with a rack of lamb, roasted quails with mushrooms, tournedos Rossini, beef fillet, or grilled duck breast."
- Bacchus Magazine
97 / 100
"At first this feels like you’re standing in front of a set of locked gates. Huge power and structure without that much weight, thanks to the wonderful freshness that’s intertwined with the tarry depths of this Hermitage masterpiece. As it aerates smoked bacon, menthol and licorice notes develop, but I’d need much more space to give you all the aromas! The huge tannins at the finish are finely chiseled, suggesting this has decades of life ahead of it. From 40 to 100-year-old syrah vines. From biodynamically grown grapes. - 96 to 97 Points - Tasted Mar 15, 2022"
- James Suckling
95 / 100
"While still a terrific wine that has come in at the upper end of my barrel-sample rating, I must confess to a modest level of disappointment in the 2020 Hermitage La Chapelle. On the nose, it's gently cedary, with crushed stone and pencil shavings accenting dark, plummy fruit, plus mocha, earth and black olives. It's full-bodied but not that rich or concentrated, with an open-knit feel and a shortage of energy and drive on the finish. Collectors may want to enjoy this over the (relatively) near term while waiting for their more-promising 2019s to mature. - Joe Czerwinski - Published: May 17, 2024"
- The Wine Advocate
Tasting Notes
Jaboulet's Hermitage La Chapelle is undoubtedly one of the greatest red wines in the world. Named after a tiny chapel (built by the knight Gaspard de Stérimberg in 1235) sitting at the highest point of the appellation's steepest hillside, this incredibly concentrated wine requires a minimum of ten years' keeping before it can unveil the full breadth of its aromas. The grapes are all destemmed, and harvested as late as possible. After a long vatting (25 days on average), the wine is matured in barrels (25% new wood) for a period of 12 to 16 months. In its youth, Hermitage la Chapelle is distinguished by its dark colour, developing incredibly intense aromas. Slightly woody, with hints of spice and very ripe wild fruits in its youth, La Chapelle develops licorice, candied fruit, mushroom, leather and undergrowth aromas after many years of ageing. The imposing structure of this exceptional wine offers a perfect combination of power, character and refinement. With its phenomenal longevity, Jaboulet's Hermitage la Chapelle easily matches the best red wines of Bordeaux or Burgundy.
Tasting Profile
- Light
- Full
- Low Tannin
- Tannic
- Sweet
- Dry
- Low Acidity
- High Acidity