1985 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle |
| Vintage | 1985 |  | |
| Type | Red | ||
| Producer | Paul Jaboulet Aîné (web) | ||
| Variety | Syrah | ||
| Designation | La Chapelle | ||
| Vineyard | n/a | ||
| Country | France | ||
| Region | Rhône | ||
| SubRegion | Northern Rhône | ||
| Appellation | Hermitage | ||
| UPC Code(s) | 089744374233 |
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2002 and 2017 (based on 33 user opinions) | |
| Wine Market Journal quarterly auction price: See Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle on the Wine Market Journal. |
| Community Tasting History |
Community Tasting Notes (average and median of 93 pts. in 188 notes) | |
| Tasted by atbarbar on 3/17/2024 & rated 95 points: A bit of tawny on the rim, but still a core of dark red at the core. Sweetness in the nose accompanied by oysters, a trademark of the house before the change in ownership. Then the sequence of herbs, above all thyme, asparagus. Then charred meat and roasted coffee, but not intense. Black olives to conclude. Mineral calcareous backbone. Still in excellent shape with acidity supporting the matter. Some time ago, in 2013 I had tried this wine and it has kept very well. Tasted side-by-side with Borgogno 1985 riserva in 2013 and today. I had written at the time "This was the freshest of all (borgogno vertical), very youthful, both in the color and on the palate. Very balanced, nice acidity awesome tannins. Drink now or keep longer. Interestingly, also the 1985 jaboulet hermitage was the best of the tasting with very similar characteristics." In sharp contrast, today the Borgogno is gone whereas the Jaboulet is in perfect conditions. So drink now, keep for a little longer. But this is a fantastic bottle, a time capsule that encapsulates foregone times, an old winemaking style and climate that is no longer. (407 views) | |
| Tasted by Goodwine4ever on 2/27/2024 & rated 93 points: Comparé au 1983, celui-si est sur un profil beaucoup plus jeune et fringant. Du fruit rouge au nez et en bouche, tannins soyeux, légère touche boisé, sans être des plus complexes, il s'agit vraiment d'un très beau vin complet bien équilibré qui tient la route à merveille car il ne fait pas son age. (571 views) | |
| Tasted by G SQUARED on 2/20/2024 & rated 97 points: Stellar. Perfect drinking window and don’t see how it can get better. (542 views) | |
| Tasted by oldwines on 1/27/2024 & rated 98 points: Next to last of 6 bottles in my cellar since release. Decanted at 6:30pm and tasted over 4+ hours. 13.5% ABV. This is a truly miraculous bottle of wine. Shockingly youthful and getting younger looking as it gets more air. Initially some hints of brick that disappeared after a few hours. Wonderful texture and body, not too rich and not too bright…perfectly balanced. So many flavors and aromas going on that evolve in layers, then repeat over time…game meat, black pepper, boysenberry, blackberry, eucalyptus, wet stones, cedar, tobacco. Oh, so complex and constantly evolving with never an off note. It’s really hard to communicate the complexity and elegance of this wine…supremely so. Long, layered and deep. Not a hint of oxidation. This is a thrilling wine that went fabulously with grilled prime beef strip steaks. Simply stunning! P.S. Amazingly the next day this was still evolving. It had bacon and chocolate galore along with dark red and black fruit. (809 views) | |
| Tasted by Araldinho on 1/20/2024 & rated 94 points: Medium deep brick red. Aromas of chocolate, roasted coffee, cassis, sweet cherry, rosemary, heather, scorched earth and pine wood. Lively sanded tannins. Blackcurrant acids and dark chocolate bitterness. Palate of cassis, plum jam, hawthorn, juniper wood, serrano ham and crushed rock. A wonderful, complex and utterly well-balanced wine with ripe dark fruit, typical herbal and chocolate aromas and long rather muscular finish. Drink within 10-15 years. Tasted alongside Jaboulet chapelle 1988 and the present wine was powerful, riper fruit and greater wine in comparison. A great wine! (697 views) | |
| Tasted by Jerrywine on 2/24/2023 & rated 93 points: This was a very dark wine showing some fruit but more meat and savory elements. Did not show its age that much and drank great throughout the meal. (1789 views) | |
| Tasted by maranoli on 11/24/2022 & rated 95 points: Deep garnet with a hint of bricking at the rim Intense nose dried black fruits, gamely characteristics, mushrooms, five spice Acidity still high, fine tannin structure but so soft, almost dusty More dried red fruits, pepper, hints of dried citrus (peel) without the sweet stickiness. Palate goes on and on From magnum. Wonderful mature Rhône Syrah. This may not improve but it will surely last for another 10-15 years (1907 views) | |
| Tasted by jondrinkswine on 10/16/2022 & rated 93 points: A beautifully aged, quintessential Northern Rhone syrah. So savory and animalistic but also elegant at 37 years of age, this is what cool climate syrah is all about. At first site, the wine is gorgeous, boasting a garnet core with orange bricking at the rim. The cork (which was soaked to the edge, but not all the way through) appears to have done its job, and I’m happy I opened this when I did. Green olives and game meat are prominent on the nose, accentuated by a touch of Brett and animal fur. With a bit of air, the fruit profile goes from completely muted to a dried red fruit profile of dried cranberry, red plum, and orange peel and evolves further to darker fruits with dried blackberries, dried boysenberries, moldy blueberries and black plum. It’s also developed a dusty, earthy, mushroomy character, and black pepper grows in intensity across the palate making for a long, spicy finish. However the savory, animal character is the main event here and everything else plays a supporting role. Even at this age, the acidity remains elevated and grippy, chalky tannins persist on the gums, while the body has become lithe over the years. While this wine is still in great shape, its best days are in the past and it's time to drink up if you have any more. (1981 views) | |
| Tasted by Wine Canuck on 7/2/2022 & rated 95 points: An Epic Summer Wine Weekend; 7/1/2022-7/3/2022 (Muskoka, Ontario, Canada): This pours medium ruby with light bricking at the rim. The nose shows cassis, dried blueberry, animal fur, light pickle brine, smoked meat, animal fur, and sweet old cedar shavings. The palate is still youthful showing lovely dried blueberry turning to medium tannin and medium plus acid. The finish lingers nicely on dried blueberry and old sweet cedar. (3074 views) | |
| Tasted by Oskiwawa on 5/21/2022: Opened and let breathe in the bottle for around 5 hours. This was drinking exceptionally well tonight. Tannins and acidity in excellent balance. Based upon this bottle I would drink these over the next couple of years. Outstanding (2300 views) | |
| Tasted by petitblanc on 5/20/2022 & rated 92 points: A Celebration of Jose; 5/19/2022-5/21/2022 (Madison, WI): Maturing color, with lots of barnyard funk on the nose and palate. This might be a bit past prime, but with food this bottle still appealed to my palate. (1724 views) | |
| Tasted by wineismylife on 5/20/2022 & rated 94 points: WIML94 Tasted non blind. Garnet color in the glass, fairly clear looking throughout. Nose of coffee, eucalyptus, truffle, leather and white pepper. Flavors of berries, cherries and minerals. Tart acidity, medium to firm tannin, full bodied. Drink over the short term into perhaps the medium term. (1356 views) | |
| Tasted by kevinpatrick on 2/23/2022: Syrah, Shiraz, Rhone Showdown (Charlotte, NC): 4 hour double decant. Color was a light mahogany with darker reddish hues. Beautiful aromatic nose. Vibrant and rich, rustic fruits (plums and raspberries) on the palate. Plush on the mouthfeel. Savory finish. An elegant, yet vibrant, mature wine. 4 votes WOTN. (1683 views) | |
| Tasted by jgh123 on 11/14/2021 & rated 93 points: From magnum; decanted for about 30 minutes before drinking. Lush, balanced, refined. Perfect with the lapin a la moutarde. Developed more nuance and complexity over the course of the meal. This seems to be on a plateau but is holding nicely. Will probably hold a few more years but there's no real point in waiting. (1528 views) | |
| Tasted by Frank Schneider on 6/28/2021 & rated 94 points: Old school ! Cool wine , fresh, tertiary aromas, barnyard, funky, not fruity , medium herbal touch, something to chew but not green, not too round with edges, so lovely !!! Enjoyed over 4 hours. Drink !!!!! (2168 views) | |
| Tasted by Wine Canuck on 6/27/2021 & rated 94 points: This particular bottle is in fabulous condition. High fill. The the glass the color is remarkable, medium ruby with light bricking. The nose is expressive and complex showing light roast coffee bean, animal fur, fresh blueberry, dried blueberry, bacon, sweet cedar, and creosote. The palate is very nicely balanced with medium minus tannin, medium plus acid, and long, lovely blueberry note on the finish. Incredibly balanced and very refined. Great wine! (2697 views) | |
| Tasted by Satoshi Nakamoto on 5/16/2021 & rated 91 points: Always a treat to drink aged Jaboulet. It had a bit of funk that needed to blow off, but after an hour, it had some lift on the palate and was drinking extremely nicely. Smoked meat, lead, raisins, black cherries, and dried herbs. This aged really nicely. (2215 views) | |
| Tasted by liber on 2/12/2021 & rated 95 points: 11th of 12, opened an hour, travelled cork, perfect level, excellent bottle, brown rimmed, but quite fresh and layered, high acid gives lift, fruit showing some fade emphasising syrah smoke and bacon but excellent structure, attractive yet but no upside now. VF (18.5). (2280 views) | |
| Tasted by fcxj on 1/29/2021 & rated 94 points: Clean, Burgundian palate. (2166 views) | |
| Tasted by Jonathanmustang on 7/28/2020 & rated 90 points: Beau, mais peu expressif, pas morte mais pas forte (2379 views) | |
| Tasted by Brussels 1049 on 7/17/2020 & rated 95 points: One of the last of a case (Christie's auction, early 1990s. £10 a bottle....) and one of the best. Inevitably there has been some bottle variation. The ullage was about 2in below the cork, which was soaked through. However, from the moment the cork popped out, the wine's rich aroma announced that this was something special. The colour is a dullish garnet, not showing the age one would expect of a 35 year old bottle. The nose is impressive; violets, herbs and above all, spices, dominate, with a meaty undertone, carried through to the still rich and full palate. Some tannins and acid still present to balance out the dried cherry and prune fruit. The finish is perhaps the most impressive aspect; it lasts a good 30 seconds or so. Is it in graceful decline? Logically, yes, and I don’t think there is anything to be gained by waiting further, but it’s far from running downhill to a watery grave, so no great hurry. (2061 views) | |
| Tasted by MAOC on 6/21/2020: Slow oxed for an hour or so. Slightly fading but elegant blackcurrant and red fruits, slightly rustic leather, white pepper hints and a meaty backdrop - a little grilled in feel but not the fuller throttle bbq meat which one finds in la chapelle. Overall this was at the tail end of peak maturity and distinctive for its balance and elegance rather than power or intensity ****-****1/2 (2069 views) | |
| Tasted by vagrantone on 4/13/2020 & rated 94 points: This wine exceeded my lofty expectations. slight trepidation in smelling the cork, but after a two hour decant, the wine was both clean and brilliant. Very impressive wine combining the tell tale aromatics of lilacs, white pepper and other spices with fruit remnants. substantial tannins left in this wine, good acidity and moderate alcohol; just brilliant Have more recent vintages stayed the course? Could have aged another 10-20 years, but given the aleatory nature of corks, why risk it? (2244 views) | |
| Tasted by Jeff Leve on 2/2/2020 & rated 93 points: It is harder and harder to get to taste these mature older Northern Rhone wines. Each time I do, I am always thrilled and seldom disappointed and this bottle was no exception. Full-bodied, with a generous blast of cinnamon, 5 spice, smoke, kirsch, thyme, red fruit and black pepper, the wine is juicy, fresh, earthy and frankly, it reminds me of taking ripe, red fruits and squeezing them over rocks. (4100 views) | |
| Tasted by aChave on 1/18/2020 & rated 93 points: Big, smooth, with nice fruit and depth. Less funk, more nuance. Relatively clean. Good shape. Opened 3 hrs ahead, double decanted. (1751 views) | |
| Tasted by jgh123 on 10/13/2019 & rated 92 points: From magnum. First opened and decanted it seemed like it was on the edge of decline but after about 30 minutes, and with dinner, it was quite lovely. Smooth, elegant and lush. Not a lot of complexity but a perfect accompaniment to the herb crusted pork loin. Nevertheless, drink this wine soon! (2044 views) | |
| Tasted by Tony Molester on 8/4/2019: Tasted over 3 h. Agree with previous TNs. This is getting feeble already. Mine had a good fill level but was just just ok as an experience. Nothing like the 88 tasted years ago. Better than the 91 i tasted a few months ago. Drink up. (2212 views) | |
| Tasted by lifebreath on 6/23/2019 & rated 92 points: Very good, but my impression, from two of four pristine bottles, is that the wine is on the decline. Drink up! (2255 views) | |
| Tasted by Brolawa on 4/27/2019 & rated 91 points: Drank an ‘82, ‘83 and ‘85 together. I had purchased ‘83 from retailer months earlier and a friend had others in his cellar for some time. All wines were tasty, but none of them legendary. The ‘83 seemed a little disjointed with a strong taste of corn on the palate - may have been slightly affected. That’s the risk of buying older wines that have likely had multiple owners from multiple places over the years. The ‘82 and ‘85 were very similar to each other. Dark fruit, wood and earth nicely balanced together - but again not “wow” bottles. (985 views) | |
| Tasted by Zweder on 11/20/2018: Monthly Tuesday group "The Dead Sparrow" #033: Northern Rhône red (By JWS): Deep and complex bouquet with animals and broth. On the palate a very mature wine with still good acidity and juice. Slightly past its peak, but still pleasurable. No score. (2807 views) | |
| Tasted by ilee on 9/29/2018 & rated 92 points: Light colored, like a burgundy. Not much hint of bricking, but the nose tells of maturity, almost like taking a breath in a wine cellar that has been shut for 30 years -- that crushed mix of stone, wood, fruit and age. On the plate, the wine is still fruity and vibrant enough to put up a small fight, but it gives up easily. Because the tannin has all but melted away. Drink up drink up, this is not one for the ages. I'm with the CT crowd on this one, good but not divine. 92 (2962 views) | |
| Tasted by rossi.wine on 8/24/2018 & rated 94 points: Great to have an opportunity to taste this wine again, this time after 1979 E. Guigal La Landonne Cote Rotie. Darker in colour, slightly discoloured rim. On the nose dark fruit, ground pepper, red meat, spices, smoke, lots of minerality. Really backward and rather youthful. On the palate tannic grip, power, freshness, almost a little tight, very very long. Very well balanced. Drink or keep. 93-95 (2984 views) | |
| Tasted by Paul S on 8/13/2018 & rated 94 points: Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle Dinner (1978, '82, '83, '85, '88, '90, '95, '97, '98, '99, 09) (Taberna, Bukit Merah): Really lovely - this was classic La Chapelle. We were back to a pretty nose here (after a dirty smelling 1983), with lifted notes of plum and cassis fruit, and an almost Bordeaux-like capsicum and tobacco leafiness, alongside a nice spiciness. A nice nose, but I might have guessed Bordeaux if completely blind. Only the violets at the edges of the bouquet really drew me back to the Northern Rhone. The palate was really fine in a very understated way. Clean, pure, just lovely, with an effortless power to its carriage. Here, limpid flavours of blueberries and cherries played against a noble structure of the finest tannins and lovely, smooth acidity, all this moving into a full midpalate and finish kissed by lovely drifts of violets and bits of spice. A lovely drop, even though it clearly still has quite a long way to run yet. Warm and full, yet with a fresh acidity in reserve. I would love to try it in 5-10 years time. (2649 views) | |
| Tasted by LB88 on 8/11/2018 & rated 92 points: Decant at least 3 hrs (2523 views) | |
| Tasted by Rezy13 on 7/24/2018: Tuesday Night Double Blind $40+ (Bin 75): Cloudy crimson core with large brick rim; aged, rusty, vegetal, spicy, loads of iron and blood, sanguine, feral, sun dried tomato; good texture, more fruit but very rustic, aged, tertiary, mushroom, beef broth; was in 80's Jaboulet Hermitage. (2336 views) | |
| Tasted by drwine2001 on 7/15/2018: Ruby with browning and fading at the outer rim. Smoke and herbs. Medium weight, positively polished and elegant feel for a Hermitage. Gentle ripeness of predominantly red fruit, excellent complexity with cooler tones, fine acidity and minerality. Outstanding mature northern Rhône that has yet to reach a tertiary, truly old wine phase. An absolute treat to try. (2707 views) | |
| Tasted by Bathtub58 on 7/4/2018 & rated 92 points: Ullage into the neck. Slightly depressed cork. 2/3 cork was wet, but in tact. Day 1: Popped and poured over 2 hours. Light bricking. Started with a reductive nose. Smoke. Red/dark fruits. After 20 minutes, mouth gripping tannins on finish. After 45 minutes, spice appeared. Moderate complexity. Day 2: minimal tannins, less complex. Overall, seems past it’s prime, but fun to drink. (2018 views) | |
| Tasted by BLam on 4/15/2018 & rated 92 points: Popped up and drank quick as in a crowd. Beautiful floral nose, black fruit but not a complex wine. It was over the peak. (2402 views) | |
| Tasted by KVM on 4/7/2018: Cork was wet most of the way through. Colour is mahoganey. Nose has tobacco, dark ripe fruit, pencil lead. Harmonious and tasty but not padded. Very long finish. An excellent bottle nearing its peak, perhaps. (2168 views) | |
| Tasted by Sean Tay on 3/29/2018: The wine looks garnet colored. It smells like toast, cedar, oak, black pepper, nutmeg, meaty, game and hazelnut. (441 views) | |
| Tasted by W&FS Cellar Chair on 3/18/2018 & rated 94 points: Both bottles were in perfect shape. Inviting nose, delightful flavors, great balance and finesse. (2182 views) | |
| Tasted by MC2 Wines on 12/12/2017: Acker BYO 2017 (Tribeca Grille): Beautiful hermitage. Good age, more leather than anything. Reminds me of what it would that old school library in Beauty and the Beast would taste like if you could drink it. In a good way. (2928 views) | |
| Tasted by bablues on 12/9/2017 & rated 98 points: 7th Annual Christmas dinner and cellar raid (Naperville, IL): Part of Christmas wine dinner and cellar raid and didn't take detailed notes. This was one of the last bottles that we opened last year, so decided to try this earlier in the night. Incredible is the best way to describe. A few stated this was their WOTN. (2694 views) | |
| Tasted by fcxj on 10/16/2017 & rated 94 points: Pristine bottle, clean aromas. Between 1967 and 1990 in terms of acidity and balance. (2843 views) | |
| Tasted by Rezy13 on 9/5/2017: Tuesday Night Double Blind <$40 (Bin 75 Alpharetta, GA): Cloudy rusty core with orange brick rim; rust on the nose, olive, mineral, clay, seaweed, lots of iron, wilted flowers, blowing, stank, dirty, vegetal, root vegetables; sweeter red fruit on the palate, apple skin, tanned leather, juicy cherry, high toned, dried cherry, still some glycerin, sweet soy, fennel, showing age and fades a bit quickly on the palate; overall incredibly complex and character, ready to go; on Syrah but fooled me as Cuvee Syrah. (1777 views) | |
| Tasted by fcxj on 5/18/2017 & rated 92 points: Beefy, leathery, earthy and resolved. Clean bottle. (3970 views) | |
| Tasted by Rezy13 on 3/21/2017: Tuesday Night Double Blind $50+ (Alpharetta, GA): Cloudy crimson, large bricking; leather, dusty, fruit, currant, tobacco, clay, dried roses, seems old, mineral, sour cherry, long finish; I was in Bordeaux with everyone else, fooled by wine but definitely enjoyed it. (3856 views) | |
| Tasted by MC2 Wines on 2/17/2017: Tampa Spring Break (the second); 2/17/2017-2/19/2017 (Various spots (homes, Mis en Place, Capital Grille)): I was looking forward to this wine all dinner and it didn't disappoint. It's well aged and more in the leather and woodsy version although a touch of fruit poked through. Enjoyable wine. (4654 views) | |
| Tasted by Rezy13 on 2/5/2017 flawed bottle: Super Bowl 2017 (Alpharetta, GA): Corked (4095 views) | |
| Tasted by tinybubbles on 12/30/2016 & rated 93 points: Black fruit, vibrant acid and rich umami undertones. Upside remains here. 93-94+ (3322 views) | |
| Tasted by bablues on 12/17/2016 & rated 98 points: 6th Annual Christmas dinner and cellar raid (Naperville, IL): Part of Christmas Dinner and Cellar Raid, didn't take detailed notes. This was the other that was my WOTN. It was the last bottle and some people had left so I had a little more of this and was amazed on how it evolved in the glass. To me this is how wine should be drunk. 30+ years and this was still singing. (3101 views) | |
| Tasted by salil on 12/16/2016 & rated 94 points: Bacchus: From a late release from Jaboulet, brought in by Atherton. A great showing, with layers of rich red fruit, black olives, leather, smoke, and other savoury meaty elements all coming together very seamlessly on a frame that conveys power and elegance at the same time. The balance here is fantastic, and it only gets more fragrant and layered with time in the decanter. Outstanding Syrah; this is everything I expect from Hermitage. (3247 views) | |
| Tasted by rocknroller on 11/3/2016 flawed bottle: Mostly Burgs and a Few Others at St. Gen (St. Genevieve, Mpls, MN): I kept wanting this to not be corked; one of those that was more subtle at some times on the nose with rest, but the palate was never selling anything else. Too bad, would have been great to drink the '85 and '83 side by side. (3020 views) | |
| Tasted by nywine68 on 10/28/2016 & rated 92 points: Interestingly this had a funky nose when first poured. It took an hour of decanting for that funk to blow off and then the wine became its usual enjoyable self. Great acidity and balance. Super enjoyable. (2325 views) | |
| Tasted by nywine68 on 10/11/2016 & rated 96 points: This was drinking spectacularly last night. An explosive nose and beautiful ripe fruit flavors with gorgeous spice and pepper notes. Best bottle of the batch so far. (2399 views) | |
| Tasted by dlduchon on 10/8/2016 & rated 92 points: Drinking great. Nice aged Syrah aromatics, lingering finish. Meaty flavors. (2142 views) | |
| Tasted by SimonG on 10/4/2016 & rated 94 points: Hermitage La Chapelle & Grange (10 Greek Street, London): Gorgeous nose. Proper HLC. Blood iron and olives. Meaty and dense with good acidity on the finish. Very complete. The savouriness of the 88 and the energy of the 95. Very harmonious. ****1/2 (2832 views) | |
| Tasted by nywine68 on 9/15/2016 & rated 93 points: Fully mature but still vibrant with fresh acidity. Tannins have completely melted away and the wine is smooth as silk. Beautiful barnyard notes with a nice amount of pepper and spice. This is at peak drinking age today. (2062 views) | |
| Tasted by rcg62 on 9/15/2016 & rated 93 points: Great nose. Plum and soft berry. A lot of funk early but it blew off after an hour. Barnyard, plum all consistent on the palate. But smooth, light and very elegant. Drinking great, certainly has plateaued but several years of great drinking ahead. (1955 views) | |
| Tasted by justburg on 8/4/2016 & rated 90 points: Rhone night at Nicolas. My wine of the flight, totally different from everyone else at the table. There was such great bottle variation with this wine I really don't know what to expect anymore. I've had this wine thrice in a year and each time it appears so different! This was deep red, touch of bricking, with a lovely mineral driven nose with roasted meats, beef broth, barnyard, olives, blackberries, plums and cherries. This drank younger than its age, I thought it was the Chave. The palate was firm, structured and "elegantly dirty". Sandalwood, leather, black tea with a decent amount of fruit still present. I'm no longer going to say this is a good wine, but rather - a good bottle. (but not the best I've had) (2406 views) | |
| Tasted by sunnylea57 on 6/30/2016 & rated 85 points: Huge nose and palate of smoke, fresh blood and mocha - which would be great but those tertiary characteristics have overwhelmed the fruit at this point. As well, the acidity is low so the palate is getting flabby and has no "grip". But if you enjoy drinking smoky beef blood, have at it. (2330 views) | |
| Tasted by JonnyG on 6/16/2016 & rated 93 points: A Night of Truly Diverse Wines (Newtown, Sydney): A fascinating example of the rewards one can get from a wine presumably past its peak, but with so much to say. Loads of brett on the nose, alongside coffee grounds and grapevines. Gentle black fruit palate accompanied by leather, mocha and earthy tones. Quite watery and lacking in concentration, but somehow that seemed entirely fitting. I was thrilled to savor this throughout the evening. (2893 views) | |
| Tasted by nywine68 on 6/7/2016 & rated 94 points: Still unbelievably fresh and vibrant for a 31 year old wine. Dark cherry and exotic spice with a long voluptuous finish. Few secondary flavors, just tastes young and rich. (2358 views) | |
| Tasted by jhngo on 5/15/2016 & rated 95 points: fully mature rustic wine still alive with good fruit and concentration. Delicious. (2427 views) | |
| Tasted by The Vines That Bind on 5/6/2016 & rated 92 points: BYO Dinner (Tocqueville): Intense and focused nose of new leather, black currant and black cherry. Smoked meats, barbecue pit, scorched earth, coffee grinds and mocha. Smoky and meaty. Somewhat tough to get a read on tonight, perhaps not as expressive as expected. Would really like to come back to this with some barbecue... (2902 views) | |
| Tasted by chablis28 on 4/26/2016 & rated 92 points: A fun drink that was amazingly fresh for its age. Loved it but it may have been lightly, almost indectiably corked. Or, was it? The fruit was totally there but every now and then I got a faint whiff of musty. (2768 views) | |
| Tasted by rocknroller on 4/26/2016 & rated 93 points: A Great French Tuesday at Tilia (Tilia, Mpls): Very dark red color. PNP, drank 1 glass over an hour. This bottle was the subject of a great deal of discussion tonight. Was it corked, was it not corked, lightly corked, not corked. I'm of the opinion that this bottle was not corked. There was one moment shortly after pouring that there was maybe something odd, but I never found it again and over time the nose got better and better for me. If there was anything off, it didn't have an impact for me. I found this to be lovely and very good. The nose was full of aromatics, bacon fat, a distinct floral quality that made me think there was a smidge of marsanne/roussanne in here, smoked meat, dark fruits. The palate has a plush, velvety texture, black cherry, plum, dark red berries, blood meal, bacon, fat, perfectly integrated, ready. Thanks Steve. 93+pts. (2713 views) | |
| Tasted by nywine68 on 4/10/2016 & rated 93 points: Very intense with huge saturated flavors and fragrant spices. Very long finish. Fully mature with tertiary notes. This should be consumed now. Bottle in good shape with strong provenance. (2157 views) | |
| Tasted by dream on 4/1/2016 & rated 94 points: An incredible nose of smoky black fruits and scorched earth with a hint of eucalyptus. A bit firm on the palate but still silky and deep with the wonderful smoky notes continuing along with delicious flavors of aged black fruits, decaying earth, smoked meats and forest floor. Finishes crisp with hints of char and eucalyptus. A fine example of great aged Hermitage and I would've rated it higher if the finish was more complex and less high-pitched. (2161 views) | |
| Tasted by Alex H on 3/16/2016 & rated 92 points: A lovely bouquet of florals and summer berries. Delicious, pretty and matured. Secondary notes of earthy truffles, cigar box and undergrowth. An exquisite grand old dame of a wine. Not sure why I didn't enjoy it before but after so many years this is a reall comfort wine. (2780 views) | |
| Tasted by yofog on 2/28/2016: Rich, aromatic, savory and autumnal nose of tilled earth, game, coffee beans, leather, and faint hint of brett (urine/public bathroom style, somewhat similar to some Norman cidre and some old bottles of Levet). Totally resolved and integrated but still firm and powerful. Everything in the right place, really pleasurable and long. Deeply impressive. (2240 views) | |
| Tasted by vespasian on 2/24/2016: Quite a pale ruby with a brick rim; quote a delicate nose at age 31, warm terracotta, spice, autumn leaves. Mellow red fruits, really very charming; silky, delicious. Good intensity still on the palate. Full - opens out beautifully. Strong finish. Really impressive. Long. (2100 views) | |
| Tasted by jpaul1 on 12/29/2015: Signs of early seepage. 3.5-4 cm. Garnet with no bricking. Pronounced mushroom with iron, black pepper and kiln dried wood. Red fruit begins to emerge with some time in the bowl. Med (+) acid with integrated tannin. Mushroom and hints of coffee on the palate. It seems to explore all that this wine has to offer, time in the glass is necessary. The secondary notes are predominant so it takes a little coaxing to get to the bright red fruit core. A very enjoyable showing for this mature wine. I will continue to hold my additional bottles. (2451 views) | |
| Tasted by sunnylea57 on 12/18/2015 & rated 91 points: This bottle was heading into decline but still showed very well. The acidity was low, which made it seem a little tired, but the bloody meat and bacon fat notes were right up in your face. (2264 views) | |
| Tasted by justburg on 9/18/2015 & rated 87 points: Birthday dinner at Infuzi. Second bottle from the same source within a month. The first bottle was significantly better. The nose was impressive with minerals, blackberries and plums, but somehow turned medicinal and herbaceous rather quickly, and also lacking the opulence and intensity of the first bottle I had. Decent structure on the palate, but again the wine seemed to fade rather quickly, drying out with tea, tobacco leaf and old wood. The bottle variation here was very significant. (3116 views) | |
| Tasted by SimonG on 9/17/2015 & rated 94 points: Deep garnet. Blood, iron and meat. Savoury with lovely acidity keeping everything fresh and in line. Refreshing and satisfying. Long. ****1/2 (2887 views) | |
| Tasted by beatles on 9/15/2015 & rated 94 points: Very much in the genre as the 1988, just lacking a wee bit; a bit broader, a bit less focused, but certainly Grand Vin, the majestic tone of Hermitage., la colline reste ... (1471 views) | |
| Tasted by justburg on 8/22/2015 & rated 92 points: Lunch at Les Amis. Drank alongside the 83 La Chapelle. Dark red, very youthful and primary, no bricking. This had an amazingly gorgeous nose, full of minerals, blackberries, blueberries, flowers, grilled fatty meat, full of intensity and richness, but laced with an underlying elegance. On the nose alone, this would have in perfectly good company with some of the top Burgundies. Palate had good vibrant and plush fruits - wild strawberries, blueberries, with smoked meat, beef, leather, earth and truffle. It was really difficult to stop nosing this beauty - rich, ripe, plush, elegant. Brilliant wine. (3161 views) | |
| Tasted by Paul S on 7/28/2015 & rated 94 points: Northern Rhone Night (Boca, Bukit Pasoh, Singapore): Much better than the last (very reductive) bottle I had some 5 years back. This was very good indeed, perhaps just a small step or two behind the superb bottle of 1988 that shared its flight. The nose had a meatier, earthier, more masculine character than the younger wine, with a nice earthy, minerally streak underpinning notes of black and blue fruit, then stone and spice and herb, and a real whiff of meatiness at the edges. Very nice, in a dark masculine way. The palate took a bit of time to come around, making me suspect that the last bottle that I had suffered from being rushed through. Given some time and air, this wine was a lovely melange of spice and earth and stony mineral melded together with yummy flavours of of blue and blackberries in the mouth. Beautifully integrated, perfectly balanced, this was wonderful. It finished great too, with a little linger of earth and coffee grounds drifting away into the distance. Like the 1988, this was drinking really well. I would say that it was quite at peak, but given the balance and the substance to the wine, I can imagine it staying at this high plateau for many years to come. (3891 views) | |
| Tasted by alittle on 5/23/2015 & rated 93 points: Year 3: Super Tastings Round 1 of 5; Dave Does Birth Year Wines (Dave's House): Popped and poured, followed approximately 2 hours. In the glass, garnet in colour, with a very slight brick. On the nose, blackberry, spent coffee grinds, damp earth, olive brine, leather, campfire and a touch of creosote. On the palate, good concentration, with deep black fruit, pepper, olive brine, smoke and coffee. Acidity is as expected; brisk and fresh; tannins, almost fully resolved, but grip ever so slightly on the moderate length finish. Served next the the '88, this seemed a touch lighter on its feet. Fully mature; drink now. (3986 views) | |
| Tasted by Wine Canuck on 5/23/2015 & rated 95 points: Year 3 - Super Tasting 1 of 5 - Dave does Birth Year Wines: I think I may have liked this even better than the rest of the group. It pours a lovely translucent ruby with medium plus bricking. Just a gorgeous and classic intense nose of green olive, creosote, blackberry, dark roast coffee, sweet wet soil, dark cherry, corned beef and hair spray. The palate is sweet and round, still very much alive showing abundant dark cherry and smoke the the medium plus finish. Fantastic! (3291 views) | |
| Tasted by Dave Canada on 5/23/2015 & rated 92 points: Year 3 - Super Tasting 1 of 5 - David does Birth Year Wines (Dave's House, Kitchener, ON): ....this was dirty....but still showing some character that I so associate with Hermitage like blue fruit, olive, and fat...but in addition there was pickle juice, coffee bean and you guessed it...more dirt. The palate showed a leaner blue fruit profile augmented by classic notes of olive, fat and earth. Finish was medium with moderate complexity. (2982 views) | |
| Tasted by WoodieBayArea on 4/27/2015 & rated 91 points: laborde was in town so brought this and a '90 barolo to dinner, this was really nice on the nose with florals and sandalwood/spice perfume, palate had good concentration and good acid but in fact was a little bit angular which i think masked the red fruit the wine exhibited, felt like a wine with lots of oomph but the angularity kept it from being great… the usual debate -- would it have been better in ten years or was it on the downslide (2401 views) | |
| Tasted by rossi.wine on 4/23/2015 & rated 90 points: Expressive nose, well evolved showing spices, herbs, some fruit and meaty notes. On the palate very acidic and slightly bitter at first, getting better and more balanced with time. Nice length. 89-90 (2489 views) | |
| Tasted by SimonG on 2/27/2015 & rated 94 points: Northern Rhone wimps — Napoléon Coste (La Trompette, London): Nicely savoury and relaxed. Mellow, beef, blood. Smooth, maturing but vital. Ageing on it's acidity and plenty left in the tank. Fresh, long, mellow, cosseting and savoury. So much better than a really tight and surly bottle of this five months ago. ****1/2 (3178 views) | |
| Tasted by danielk168 on 2/17/2015 & rated 91 points: some bricking and fruit showing less but just the right amount of funk to make you love a bottle of old Rhone wine. pricy though (2447 views) | |
| Tasted by KoalaHK on 12/30/2014: Drunk at On Dining in Hong Kong - this showed much promise on the nose but disappointed a touch on the finish, where it was a little metallic. It did come round a little towards the end and also with food but by then I didn't have enough left to properly assess. I note that in previous notes writers have mentioned it should have been decanted. I agree. (2879 views) | |
| Tasted by PC73 on 12/21/2014 & rated 92 points: Not showing any real signs of age. Fresh on the palate with good fruit. Great balance and long finish. (2726 views) | |
| Tasted by Neecies on 11/25/2014 & rated 94 points: Devin's bottle5. Super funky nose, bright and juicy on the palate, with cocoa and baked ham. Showing terrific right now. (2946 views) | |
| Tasted by Blair Curtis on 11/23/2014 & rated 92 points: Drinking very well right now! The nose of this has all kinds of smoky, bonfire action going on. A bit of burnt rubber, smoked meat. Shows the wild side of Hermitage. The palate has ample dark fruit, some olives, and more game meat. Tannins are in check and well integrated - in large part resolved at this stage. Perhaps a bit less impact than certain other vintages of this wine. But I really like this a lot. (2730 views) | |
| Tasted by godx on 11/23/2014 & rated 92 points: Drew's 40th: A funky and ripping nose of savory red fruits, tar, olive tapenade, barnyard and smoked meats. Well integrated tannins with bright acidity and juicy yet mature dark fruits. Balanced yet wild and extremely enjoyable. At peak. Excellent. (2025 views) | |
| Tasted by Beaunedoc on 11/11/2014 & rated 94 points: Good fill and a sound cork. Fully mature, smoky with hints of barbeque sauce and smoke on nose. The palate showed a decent amount of fruit, some cooked raspberry most notably. The palate was suave and really needed no food to make it enjoyable. Stay away from strong spices and cayenne with this wine as to enjoy it's delicacy. There was a bit of dark chocolate, chocolate powder here. That was even more evident when I had a piece of quality dark chocolate later in the evening. (2755 views) | |
| Tasted by mvngtrck on 10/11/2014 & rated 93 points: Bottle with the weakest fill out of six (perhaps 4 cm). Despite the mediocre fill, fresh tasting and perhaps needs another 5 years or so until maturity. Pronounced Rhone notes of cherry yield to more mature flavors with a bit of decanting time. Tannins still pronounced but ample fruit to match them. Enjoyable but should be better still in time. Right now inferior to the '85 Beaucastel tasted a week earlier. (3265 views) | |
| Tasted by Lord Rayas on 10/5/2014 & rated 95 points: David's MNSC (Seventh Son): dark and robust. probably should have decanted. unmistakable aroma of asian spice and dried tea leaves. faded a little towards the end. (3151 views) | |
| Tasted by SimonG on 9/27/2014 & rated 92 points: Wraysbury Dinner (Home): Served a little too cool initially, and though it was opened six hours in advance I should really have decanted it an hour or so ahead of serving. Still quite dense and dark-fruited. Velvety texture, quite plush. Served blind it was mistaken for a right bank claret ten years younger. It does show a good core of sweet fruit and an iron and blood edge, though this minerality takes a while to open out and show. Lovely. **** (2883 views) | |
| Tasted by Marc on 9/18/2014 & rated 90 points: Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle Vertical Tasting 1969 - 2010 (Regional Wines and Spirits, Wellington, New Zealand): Beautiful mature visage - more ruby than tawny. Powerful nose of smoke, game and wood. Powerful mouthfeel. Fennel, red fruits, liqueur-like. A whisp of vegetative character. Great acid balance, This feels like the product of a warm vintage. Very suave, perhaps a bit "sweet" and simple. This is a gentle wine that is in late maturity but is in no way tired and will clearly continue to evolve for years. (3946 views) | |
| Tasted by Javachip on 8/9/2014 & rated 95 points: A Double Birth Year Celebration (San Diego): Not decanted. Clear medium garnet red. Fabulous bouquet of mixed red fruit, smoke, bacon fat, tapenade, stony soil. Fresh and bright, superb definition and structure. Power without weight. My #2 and group's SECOND PLACE in this flight. (3523 views) | |
| Tasted by rnellans on 3/24/2014 & rated 95 points: Loved the wine. Mature and spot on at this time. Much less structured than the 89 served alongside. Spot on for current drinking. Soft, complex, secondary notes. Drink now...lovely. (3440 views) | |
| Tasted by cct on 3/23/2014 & rated 94 points: SOM'd. Served with 89 La Chapelle and 90 Chave The softer and suppler of the two vintages of La Chapelle and true to its year. Suppler and round and at this point fully mature. Rare meat, tapenade, with a cool green herbal side. Giving and deep on the palate, rich and with power with a simultaneous roundness. If the 89 hits you like a 20 foot wall of water, the 85 is like a storm surge that just builds. Full and rich and I very much like this wine. Very savory and meaty with a core of darker fruit. This objectively is probably the 3rd best wine of the flight for me, but drinking most at peak, and just seems to be hitting everything just right. 94 pts. (3372 views) | |
| Tasted by jhngo on 3/15/2014 & rated 94 points: rustic and light. smoked meats, irony dusty tannins. (3182 views) | |
| Tasted by Thoughtful on 3/12/2014 & rated 94 points: Stored in cold cellar since release. Perfect cork fill level neck. Excellent condition - stil brick red. Drink soon. Lovely complex flavour superb balance. Capitivating but only medium bodied. Is the manliest of wines no longer made? (3100 views) | |
| Tasted by oldwines on 12/4/2013 & rated 96 points: This was a fantastic bottle...very young looking almost no bricking with dark ruby color. The nose evolved over 2-3 hours after decanting. At first there was a strong cigar tobacco scent on the nose but later you got herbs like time and mint and a yeasty bread dough aroma. Just wonderful depth. Mouthfeel was rich and hearty but smooth and not overpowering by any means. Flavors evolved from burnt orange and tobacco to the herbs and then a sweet prune and black cherry. Different than my last 2 notes in several respects and for sure the best bottle I've had from this vintage. Great with a steak or a braised red meat. (3769 views) | |
| Tasted by lockestep on 11/15/2013 & rated 90 points: Cork in great shape. On open the nose was focused on game and smoke. Let it sit uncorked for an hour then decanted. Clear ruby color, nose added some pepper and spice. On the palate good dark fruit flavors, not a lot of earth or depth. Finish medium long and clean. Paired quite well with rack of lamb. Saved a taste for Day 2, but it was done. Drink 'em if you've got 'em. (2951 views) | |
| Tasted by dream on 11/15/2013 & rated 94 points: Perfectly clear color with an incredibly expressive nose of roasted game meats, black spices, animal fur and smoky minerals. On the palate the wine is still not fully mature but is showing a lovely soft texture with good acids and delicious flavors of roasted meats, forest floor and minerals. Lighter-bodied and elegant, it builds to a finish that is beautifully complex with great spice and cigar box notes. Yum but will gain further complexity over the next several years. 94+ (3111 views) | |
| Tasted by rossi.wine on 6/4/2013 & rated 94 points: Wounderful garnet colour, savoury, meaty notes, smoke, cherry on the nose. Palate: Light and delicate, balanced and harmonious, good acidity, great length, excellent. (4067 views) | |
| Tasted by bendid on 3/15/2013 & rated 93 points: This really took some time to express itself. A lovely, mature hermitage, and quite a delicate style. Medium body at best, perfect luncheon wine. Amazing length, will hold for a while yet, but plenty of joy right now. Had along side '75 Grange and more than held its own. (4557 views) | |
| Tasted by WoodieBayArea on 3/4/2013 & rated 91 points: color is medium brick red, nose is virtually nil, maybe a little funk and/or oak, palate is nice with bitter (more than sweet) cherries, beef blood and a bit salty... also a hint of smoke and cough syrup... the fruit is in the second seat and it could just be this bottle but i feel this would have been better five years ago, drink up if you have 'em (3923 views) | |
| Tasted by liber on 2/16/2013 & rated 95 points: Browning/lightening on rim, classy fruit driven nose complex for Hermitage, lovely weight and balance, refined, nothing overdone, mature but with lots more life. Very fine (18.5/20), as previously seen a step up from 82 and 83, on a par with 88, if quite different, but behind splendid 89 and 90. (3817 views) | |
| Tasted by oldwines on 2/9/2013 & rated 94 points: Mature but by no means done, this was lovely, similar to the last bottle. Notable was a nose and flavor profile of smoked Gouda along with cedar, tobacco and sour cherry. Nice length with rich mouthfeel that is best described as elegant and satisfying. (4007 views) | |
| Tasted by oldwines on 11/20/2012 & rated 94 points: Muture, medium bodied (for Hermitage) and in need of 3-4 hours of breathing even after double decanting. It seemed tired and old initially on the nose and the palate. After a few hours it blossomed and recovered its dark fruit and expansive nose of leather, bacon and herbs. Tasted along side a 1990 and 2000 La Chapelle and it held its own. The 1990 is clearly a richer denser and more long-lived wine in the end. The 2000 was nice but not better than the 1985 in my view. nice soft finish but not an exceptionally long one. Great with lamb. (4010 views) | |
| Tasted by Brussels 1049 on 11/11/2012 & rated 92 points: As others have commented, there is significant bottle variation with this wine (as one might expect anyway with an old wine). This was a great bottle, with a gamey nose, with notes of smoke, spice and leather, which faded after some time in the glass. The palete held up well however, recalling a great Burgundy; sweet but with a hint of astringency but this bottle had greater persistence than my last and the acidity was balanced with fruit, suggesting this has more time left than I had thought. I don't think decanting a wine this old will do it any favours however, the wine was at its liveliest soon after the cork was pulled. (3513 views) | |
| Tasted by bertou on 11/4/2012 & rated 94 points: WHen I opened the bottle the wine was delivering nice notes of prunes, leather, dried herbs, pepery notes, black ripe fruit. But at the same time we could feel nice top tones of dried flowers and sweet spices, black olive. Nice complexity. In the mouth it wasn't powerfull. Elegant, rounded and polished now by the years but still fresh with good intensity and concentration. Genial tannin quality. The wine faded away quite rapidly. My bottle was is perfect condition. (3709 views) | |
| Tasted by WoodieBayArea on 9/21/2012 & rated 93 points: after a slightly disappointing performance last time, this particular bottle was fantastic, wld be WOTN on virtually any other night but was bested this time by incredible Soldera Brunello '00 and Heitz Martha's '78, this wine had beautiful red fruits on the palate, nice acidity, lively and young other than the secondary character it showed -- specifically nice minerals and something else hard to identify... no notes on the nose as we were having cigars, at the Grove (3761 views) | |
| Tasted by Xavier Auerbach on 9/12/2012 & rated 91 points: There seems to be a lot of bottle variation with this wine. This bottle is very much like the one tasted by Jancis Robinson in 2006. Closely resembles a gentle, mellow if lively old Burgundy with a lovely sweetness, nice tannic grip and some raspberry fruit; vestiges of black pepper, red meat and minerals reveal its grape variety and provenance. Lovely wine, drink now. (3905 views) | |
| Tasted by cooberp on 8/3/2012 & rated 88 points: Barbecue sauce on the nose. Translucent tawny color. Light-to-medium bodied, not a ton of fruit left. Tastes like paprika. (3855 views) | |
| Tasted by vindictive on 7/19/2012: Very good again and much better than the 1990. (3709 views) | |
| Tasted by Jonasan on 6/23/2012 & rated 92 points: Smelt of prunes on opening three hours before drinking. Decanter. Initially oddly flat with vanilla note but deepened and lengthened over time. No contemporary tasting note but recall mellow, mature, sweet tobacco note (3782 views) | |
| Tasted by WoodieBayArea on 6/7/2012 & rated 90 points: rating may be generous, this bottle was very disappointing relative to the last one i had... this had lost it's fruit, acid was still there, bottle hadn't gone off, just didn't have anything there to enjoy... hoping it was a bottle issue as i have two more (3632 views) | |
| Tasted by salil on 5/31/2012 & rated 95 points: Fantastic stuff. Incredibly complex and layered, seamlessly combining waves of red fruits, sauvage meaty and leathery flavours and other savoury tarry, smoky and earthy elements into a fragrant, polished whole. There's great balance and depth here, a sense of elegance and refinement to the texture and good persistence - just a superb wine to sit down with and enjoy with food. (4252 views) | |
| Tasted by Brussels 1049 on 5/17/2012 & rated 89 points: Mature colour, some bricking at the egde. Gamey, rich nose of spice, liquorice and tobacco, remarkable for a wine of this age. Rich palete, still some residual acidity, but beginning to dry out and the finish does not have the length one would hope for in such a wine. No great hurry, but should be drunk in the next couple of years. Not as good for me as some of the tasting notes by others, but I bought this at auction in the early 1990s and maybe it had not been stored as well as it should have been. (3854 views) | |
| Tasted by Jeff Leve on 5/17/2012 & rated 94 points: Drinking perfectly today, this mature Jaboulet La Chapelle is packed with earthy, barnyard, peppery, black raspberry, forest, tobacco and mineral scents. Elegant in style, you can enjoy this today, or for at least another 10-15 or more years. (4227 views) | |
| Tasted by BenSwetnam on 3/5/2012 & rated 96 points: The nose started off with leather, cinnamon, applesauce and dried cranberry and prune. The perfume of the nose continued to develop into more floral notes as the wine opened up. Really haunting perfume that just kept giving. The palate was a nice balance or primary fruit and tertiary notes. Drinking amazingly well now. No need to wait. (4494 views) | |
| Tasted by vindictive on 2/6/2012: Bottle, fill and cork all good. This wine was very interesting immediately after opening. Notes of licorice, smoke, garrigue and leather were present with a firm backbone. I chose to decant this and perhaps I should not have done so. Decanting and an hour or two of air changed the wine - it was softer, yet still lovely. It lost a little of the Northern Rhone drive with time, but never faded. Overall, it is a superb wine and I would gladly drink it again, but perhaps just let it air out a bit in the bottle. (4500 views) | |
| Tasted by Two Winos on 1/14/2012 & rated 97 points: An absolutely spectacular bottle. Not a bit of bricking. The wine developed wonderfully in the glass through dinner. Great earthiness, deep red fruit flavors. Best paired with herb-crusted rack of lamb, not bad with a NY strip but the cab sauce threw it off a bit. (4485 views) | |
| Tasted by Dave Dalluge on 12/2/2011 & rated 95 points: Dinner at Tilia -- the new, old Heidi's: I thought this was a really beauty, but for some reason didn't take many notes. The nose started a bit funky, but eventually gave mature aromas of red fruit, dried herbs and much more. Equally great on the palate with a great blending of elegance and muscle. Perfect balance with fully resolved tannins. Great long finish. To me this showed as well as I would have hoped, and reaffirms my passion for La Chapelle. I only wish I had a few more. (5344 views) | |
| Tasted by Siggy on 12/1/2011 & rated 93 points: Tasting Group Dinner - Burgs & Northern Rhones (Tilia, Minneapolis): Complex, leathery, earthy nose. Mature, harmonious flavors of red fruit, meat, flowers, baking spice, minerals, and earth/leather/animal fur. Long and elegant, with a lacy, suave, silky texture. Terrific stuff. A lovely La Chapelle that is at the peak of its drinking window, and evocative of the terrific 1980 (see previous TN). (6105 views) | |
| Tasted by StefanAkiko on 11/12/2011 & rated 98 points: One of the most profoundly great wines I've ever had. Brownish tinge. Nose starting up with a mix of cassis galore and a terrible funk of ashtray. Cleaning itself up as the evening went by. In the mouth a superior concentration with balance that really makes you weep and a mouthwatering taste of otherworldly class. The concentration of the fruit is amazing. It is perfectly mature with melted tannins and ... all the best good things of a mature classic syrah with a painfully stylish attack-midpalate-finish and length of maybe 60 seconds. I've always loved the great La Chapelle wines. Should have been properly decanted. (Winetasting dinner w Mikael, Johan, Mats, Jonathan n wives; my Swe place) (5086 views) | |
| Tasted by winebling on 11/8/2011 & rated 96 points: I opened this over dinner at a restaurant with a friend, so didn't keep detailed tasting notes. It was a magnificent bottle, in excellent condition. If you can get your hands on a bottle in good condition, grab it! One of the best wines I've had in a long time. If you have any in the cellar, I'd be drinking them now. (4279 views) | |
| Tasted by ianinvirginia on 10/24/2011 & rated 93 points: This notes the same bottle as Tooch. I spent some more time with this one after guests departed, and it surprisingly continued to evolve, with the meatiness subsiding and the piney garrigue being joined by a soy element before the tar on the finish. (5099 views) | |
| Tasted by tooch on 10/22/2011 & rated 94 points: Dinner at Ian's (Ian's House): A truly great bottle of La Chapelle. Exhibited classic mature Northern Rhone syrah meat, earth, and dark fruit flavors. While the meatiness and was dense and in-your-face, this still had really elegant dark fruit at its core. The palate was remarkably elegant and this was my clear WOTN. I've had mixed results with bottle variation with older La Chappelle's, so it was so great to come across this bottle...seemed to me to be drinking at its zenith. Thanks Ian for opening this! (5300 views) | |
| Tasted by Keith Levenberg on 8/19/2011 & rated 94 points: Been so long since I've had a top-notch La Chapelle and this one definitely qualified. No-doubter aromatics of the usual mature Northern Rhone meatiness and tarriness, the latter so evocative that it actually seemed a fairly natural segue from the very tarry Italian duo. Unlike a few other vintages recently where the palate seemed hollow, here it had the density and grip to match the aromatics. (5656 views) | |
| Tasted by BradKNYC on 8/17/2011: While the wife's away, the boys will play. Nice wines at Keith's. (Keith's): A nice showing for this wine tonight. Like La Chapelle almost always does, it shows an enticing and elegant nose of sweet red fruits, spice with hints of bacon. Yet this time, the palate lives up to the promise on the nose. There's nice ripeness to the strawberry and cherry fruit, but it's not at all candied and the wine stays light on its feet thanks to the juicy acidity. Nice smokey bacon character with a touch of garrigue on the back end. The tannins have softened and the wine's seemingly on the last stages of peak, or perhaps a little past, so I'd drink sooner rather than later. A-/B+. (5489 views) | |
| Tasted by Dickdoc49 on 4/9/2011 & rated 92 points: From memory,Amber color, Earthen nose,surprising berry fruit, long finish, very nice balance. Aged syrah at it's best. Still has lots of life. (6032 views) | |
| Tasted by Leigh Johnson on 2/20/2011 & rated 97 points: Dark crimson with tawny out towards the rim. Decanted to remove sediment. A certain viscosity. The nose fairly muted but notes of black olives and blackberries were to the fore. Initially on the palate, the inetnsity of flavour was moderate but mouthfiolling. The tannins were soft and sweet, plenty of acidity almost bordering on slight tartness. After half an our in the decanter, the wine took on another dimention. The flavour intensity was truly pronounced, black olives, undergrowth, blacberries, ripe blck fruits, acidity moderated so as not to stick out. Perfect balance and harmony and a great freshness to this wine. Lastly, a floral note emerged. A long olive and fruit driven finish of more than 60 seconds. Quite an exceptional wine. (5334 views) | |
| Tasted by reichken on 11/25/2010 & rated 94 points: Lunch @ Hawksmor-Dark brooding color, nose had a touch of leather and bacon over a still clear dark red and black fruit smell. wine was still developing, and on the way hope. full big and long in the mouth, well balanced. nice mix of earthy, fruit and depth. first bottle of lunch finished (5657 views) | |
| Tasted by PatrikO on 9/23/2010 & rated 90 points: Lunch at Hawksmoor with Diana and Peter. This took a while to open up, at first a lot of burnt toffee overriding the red fruit, but as it sat in the decanter it got fatter and the fruit showed better with notes of licorice and leather. Nice structure to to this wine, still a tannic backbone and a long aftertaste. This will keep for a long time yet. (5427 views) | |
| Tasted by Rupert on 5/11/2010 & rated 92 points: Hermitage La Chapelle - complete vertical 1961-2005 (Institute of Directors, London): A bit dry and mdeicinal to start with, powerful, resolved, grew in the glass and ended up very yummy (7578 views) | |
| Tasted by Alex H on 4/25/2010 & rated 86 points: WGS: Paul Jaboulet La Chapelle (St Regis): Durian smellyness, assiness, farty like preserved century eggs intermixed with brambles. Classic palate, rootyness and country dirt track. A hint of green herbs, tea leaves. Backward wiuth a bit of alc showing but well controlled. Lingering finish with aged honey notes. (5994 views) | |
| Tasted by astroman on 4/20/2010: Bacon, pencils with some smokey notes. Soft melted tannins with lingering finish. Seems to be a more feminine style as compared to earlier ones but very enjoyable. (5385 views) | |
| Tasted by Paul S on 4/20/2010 & rated 92 points: Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle Vertical - 2007, '05, '04, 1997, '91, '88, '85, '82, 1976 (St Regis, Singapore): Good, but a clear step down after the trio of 1997, 1991 and 1988 on the last flight. This too was a bit reductive on the nose, with whiffs of smelly egg that took a bit of time to blow away. After that, it showed wet, earthy sous bois notes, some bacon meat, plenty of mineral, some stalky bramble and plenty of smoky notes. Palate was pleasant enough - nice red fruit expression, with cherries mingling with darker blackcurrant notes, some Rooibos tea, and a bit of stalky herbal touches on the mid-palate, all still wrapped in fine but rather firm tannins. Finish was just a bit short on energy I thought, closing down slightly before lingering in the mouth with smoked bacon notes, some orange peel, another touch of tea (more Oolong this time!) and lots more smoky cigar notes. A nice wine. Not exactly mindblowing, but certainly enjoyable. (6608 views) | |
| Tasted by 911SCracer on 3/14/2010 & rated 94 points: Minimal bricking on the color and no browning. Quite clear, with no significant sediment in the glass after a careful pour. Remarkably fruity nose with strong hints of red meat. This persisted for over and hour. The first and strongest note on the palate is bacon fat. This is followed by blood/iron taste of rare red beef and red berries. Also white pepper. I was surprised how firm the tannins were. Drink. (5645 views) | |
| Tasted by canan on 2/16/2010 & rated 94 points: Terkel BYO: Nose: bonfire, cabbage and rotten fruit. Palate: Fresh red currant with loads of solid acidity. Bonfire and smokeyness in the mid-palate. Excellent acidity in the aftertaste. Impressive wine! (5315 views) | |
| Tasted by Terkel on 2/16/2010 & rated 95 points: Birthday dinner (My place): Medium red color with a browning hue. Exciting nose with intense notes of red berries, bacon, smoke and air dried meats, charcuterie, dried flowers and iron. On the palate is has a similar intensity and showing, but the overall impression is left by the amazing refined and elegance that this wines posses. With pure and clean notes of red berries, redcurrant and cherries, and an intense backing of dried meats, sausages, bacon and charcuterie that grow over the midpalate onto the finish where it is joined by iron notes. It gives a feeling of country-side and rusticity, but with a flowery lightness and a lively acidity that makes it feel weightless in the mouth. Great stuff. (6106 views) | |
| Tasted by Tao on 12/13/2009 & rated 90 points: Attractive wine while you first sip, after few moments settled in the glass, I found the wine a bit rustic, after all these years, the wine still very much young and alive, the tannins is noticable, some dates and charcoal over the nose, quite thick on the palate, rather chewy! Overall, in my opinion a rustic wine, not delicate enough like those La-La-La!!!!! A good 10 to 15 years to go in a cold cellar. (5274 views) | |
| Tasted by SimonG on 11/7/2009: Ray & Yolanda (Home): Fuller, deeper colour than the Chave alongside. Sediment in the first glass despite having been stood upright for two months. Richer nose, more dark fruited and iron-rich, evolving in to a beef tea meaty intensity. Lush ripe fruit and a velvety texture on the attack balanced by good acidity following through to the long finish. A fascinating contrast to the Chave, both showing their house styles well, and on the night the Jaboulet wins for me. Again, excellent with grouse, red cabbage, game chips and bread sauce. Top ****1/2 (5650 views) | |
| Tasted by davergny on 8/27/2009 & rated 88 points: Nose is very nice, bacon fat, blood sausage, red currant & white pepper. On the palate, a bit restrained and a little austere, some red currants, tobacco leaf, meaty, decent finish. (5621 views) | |
| Tasted by BradE on 5/2/2009: Light Lumber in the High Country - Part 2: For me, a stunning wine. Loads of smoke, charcoal, bacon. Might guess old HB blind. Gorgeous. Mmm. (6522 views) | |
| Tasted by psmith on 1/27/2009: Dark color with little bricking. Bold dark fruits, more than I usually get from La Chapelle - raspberry jam, spice, gamey notes. Volatile, and teetering on the edge of the mature/old boarder. Somewhat austere, and uplifting but slightly funky acidity to the finish. Medium body, but clean in its approach. Enjoyable. (5349 views) | |
| Tasted by SimonG on 11/29/2008: Hermitage La Chapelle Wine-Pages Offline (Vinoteca, Smithfield, London): Savoury, coffee-scented, meaty nose. Very full and interesting. Hints of walnut. Deep red fruit, good acidity, slightly lighter-weight than the 83 but better balance. Good length and lovely too. ***** (6651 views) | |
| Tasted by La Grappe on 5/13/2008 & rated 92 points: Fully mature and perhaps beginning to decline slightly, but still with complexity, length and some vigour. This was much better than the Chave 1985 tasted the night before, which was gone. (5327 views) | |
| Tasted by lostgeographer on 3/27/2008 & rated 90 points: Surprisingly sweet on the nose. My friend said rountree fruit gums. I also kept getting a whif of grilled asparagus. On the palate cherry sweetness with some nice resinous cocoa notes and a touch of smoke in the finish. Nicely textured wine. I think its still drinking nicely (though I like things a little over the hill). (5632 views) | |
| Tasted by reichken on 9/10/2007 & rated 90 points: 1985 Dinner (Chez Bruce London): Drunk at 1985 Dinner,Chez Bruce, London garnet color, lightening around rim,...on the nose this had a sweet coffee aroma...in the mouth it felt a bit dry, gave some casis and red fruits, finish was medium. this wine was one of the more developed of the 1985 we had, (6578 views) | |
| Tasted by winefool on 4/18/2007 & rated 86 points: Older Rhone Dinner (Custom House): Very disappointing showing for this wine of which I've had many better examples. Full black/red color. Forward clammy aroma of black fruit. Full red tannic acidic fruit with an odd note. Not obviously flawed, but somehow off. (6575 views) | |
| Tasted by johnphinney8 on 3/3/2007 & rated 90 points: Lots of grilled meat and blood at first...not a lot of fruit. As it opened it softened some, but still not a ton of fruit. Great match for a nice piece of venison, though. Cocoa, coffee notes. Nice aged Rhone wine, but lacking the fruit of the best vintages. (5747 views) | |
| Tasted by dbkitc on 2/25/2007: (at Charleston – Baltimore) Beef blood, herbs and super raspberry fruit. Lovely elegance and harmony. My favorite wine of the night. (19) (5721 views) | |
| Tasted by winefool on 3/1/2006 & rated 94 points: Spactacular syrah. Medium bodied brick red wine (slight garnet). Rich full aroma of cherry and currant. Tons of fruit on a perfectly integrated frame and soft tannin. Drinking perfectly, likely at its peak. 10/00 Still tasting great 1/04. I've always loved the underrated (and reasonably priced) 85, but this particular bottle didn't show as well as others I've had. Fill level was a bit lower than most of my other bottles, so who knows... Full red color. Medium round red fruit aroma. Nice round red fruit on the palate with a hint of spice. Jim noted a sweet creaminess in the palate that he didn't think fit well. Lacked the grip and complexity of other examples I've had, but still pleasurable enough. 91 pts. 9/05 Older Rhones - Group #5, My #3 - Full crimson ruby with signs of loightening. Full aroma of black fruit and coffee with a green pepper note. Lovely rich black coffee fruit with a long finish and nice balance. 94 pts. 3/06 (5701 views) | |
| Tasted by winenutnyc on 12/16/2005: this was fantastic- nose of raspberries, menthol, asian spice, and a hint of bacon. The palate is youthful, still tannic- sweet tannins though- long and balanced with dusty raspberries and bacon. seemed a lot younger than its 20 years. (6061 views) | |
| Tasted by cellarid on 12/16/2005 & rated 92 points: Really excellent bottle. Lots of dark fruits, blood, iron and sweet frui. Very impressive (6006 views) | |
| Tasted by jpan on 12/4/2005: One of our Thanksgiving dinner wines, tasted blind. Medium red to light brick at edge. Youthful aromas and taste. Cherries, high alcohol? but with soft tannins and acid in balance. I would never have guessed this was a 20 year old wine. Excellent. (5314 views) | |
| Tasted by Will on 4/29/2005: La Chapelle verticale (1978-2002) (Bad Ragaz, Switzerland): The nose is just superb, the breadth and depth on the palate incredible. Amazing. (6720 views) | |
| Tasted by robertcumming on 3/27/2005: Lovely. A point. Muvh enjoyed. (5257 views) | |
| Tasted by PhDP on 3/15/2005 & rated 89 points: Hermitage La Chapelle (INAO Vin-Passion, Bruxelles, Belgium): Nez plus tendu, plus jeune, assez discret, fruits à l'alcool, soleil, mûre Bouche dense, fermée, avec de beaux tannins, des nuances brûlées, classique, alcool maîtrisé, paraît bcp plus jeune que le précédent (6613 views) | |
| Tasted by Eric on 2/12/2005 & rated 93 points: Rhônes and dinner with Robert Parker (Baltimore, MD): Mmm, the nose is bloody and ripe smelling. On the palate this is very tannic, grippy and powerful. (11776 views) | |
| Tasted by peternelson on 10/3/2004 & rated 89 points: Gagnieres w/Dominique and Phillip; Glasses did not bring out nose, but rich, lightly purfumey and slight prune notes. Smooth and mellow in mouth. Very nice, but discreet. With a cote de veaux roasted in juice and veggies. Change from other night when I had this in Vienne. (2597 views) | |
| Tasted by peternelson on 9/29/2004 & rated 93 points: Vienne: Exotic soft spice, old wood and spice; hint of prune at end; complex and evolved, “poison” perfume; med. bod, incredible character. Good ripe age. (2684 views) | |
| Tasted by Jeff W on 5/14/2004: Silk in the mouth. Fully resolved tannis. So good in the mouth I didn't want to swallow it, but when I did there was nothing there. dg (4850 views) | |
| Tasted by kevin h on 1/11/2002 & rated 90 points: Historic note (recorded Aug 06). Bouquet of cassis and a bit of liquorice, some tar too as expected. Decent flavoury wine but not profound. Still a bit young perhaps - rather inky and four-square. (4514 views) | |
| Tasted by SimonG on 12/24/2001: Deep blood red colour, slight signs of paling at the edges. Dense rich nose though elegant and almost restrained / understated. Rich on the palatte with generous acidity and some residual tannin. Rounds out in the glass. Long and elegant. Save other bottle for a few years. Very classy without one being able to identify any particular characteristics. Complete. (4771 views) | |
| Tasted by chevalblanc1959 on 8/21/1999 & rated 94 points: Lively ruby colour, extraordinarily smooth and elegant, almost velvety, reminded me of the better left bank bordeaux of the same vintage, tannins there to provide the structure but at all astringent, lots of red fruits, very very long on the palate. A long distance runner. (3010 views) | |
| Tasted by mdefreitas on 5/22/1999 & rated 88 points: Pre Auction Wine Tasting w/ Aubert de Villaine (DRC) (NYC): Dark and closed. Some minerals and fruits, but rather unforthcoming right now. (4458 views) | |
| Tasted by mdefreitas on 6/12/1998 & rated 89 points: Pre Auction Wine Tasting w/ 1962 Unico & Krugs (NYC): Dark cherry, sweet ripe black fruits. A lovely wine that is very drinkable now. (4327 views) | |
| Tasted by Marc on 10/21/1991 & rated 90 points: With David, Ken and Eve after the regional Beaucastel tasting. Ruby, deepish, no hints of brown. spicy raspberry nose with smoke and pepper. Lovely balance, good length - smooth tannins - medium full body. Peppery raspberry fruit on palate. Sweet entry and some complex leathery components. (2930 views) | |
| Tasted by bestdamncab on 7/13/1991 & rated 88 points: Wine Group Dinner (Walnut Creek, Ca.): Little sour fruit on the nose, and palate, nice, long, sweet/sour finish, big, subtle, spicey bell pepper tste. (299 views) | |
| Tasted by MicklethePickle on 4/5/1991 & rated 83 points: Tasted at a Singer & Foy survey of 1985 Rhones. Dark ruby color. Good depth. Fruit is there; but a bit strange. In the mouth, a bit light, but has some flavor. Disappointing. 5-9-13-6: 83/100. (618 views) | |
| Tasted by MicklethePickle on 6/18/1989 & rated 92 points: With pizza. Very dark, in fact opaque, black ruby. Wonderful nose. Bacony. Very tannic, but behind it is loads of big fruit. Should turn out to be great. 5-13-16-8: 92/100. (581 views) |
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Paul Jaboulet AînéProducer website- Read about Jaboulet Hermitage and Jaboulet La Chapelle U.S. Importer (?) (Addt'l Info) U.S. Importer (?) (Addt'l Info) Paul Jaboulet Aîné is one of the most prestigious producers in the Rhone, notably in Hermitage and Crozes Hermitage. The earliest record of the Jaboulet family producing wine is from 1834, and the eventual house of Paul Jaboulet Aîné remained in Jaboulet family ownership until 2006. It was then sold to the Frey family, proprieters of Ch La Lagune in Bordeaux, and numerous other vineyards. Frey obtained the famous brand names such as Hermitage "La Chapelle" and Crozes Hermitage "Domaine de Thalabert", but not all of the vineyards historically used for producing those wines. Notably the vineyard used to produce Crozes Hermitage "Domaine de Thalabert" - a vineyard historically known as Les Grandes Vignes - was split, with part remaining under the control of Philippe & Vincent Jaboulet. Nevertheless Frey succeeded in restoring the reputation of Paul Jaboulet Aîné which had fallen away during the 1990s. Domaine de Raymond Roure is a 3.5ha Crozes Hermitage vineyard high on the back of the Hermitage hill which Jaboulet acquired in 1996. The red now sells at a premium to Thalabert and is the wine for longer keeping. Paul Jaboulet Aîné owns parcels of vines in several Rhone appellations both north and south, and produces an extensive range of both estate bottled and négociant wines. SyrahVarietal article (Wikipedia) | (Wines Northwest)Note that some producers in the Northern Rhone distinguish between simply Syrah and "Serine", the latter described as ‘an ancient clone of Syrah, the berries of which are more oval-shaped and less deeply pigmented than Syrah’ by producer Tardieu-Laurent. FranceVins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings 2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest" 2019 vintage reports 2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage." 2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.com RhôneGuide to the wines, wineries and appellations in the Rhone Valley The Rhône Valley/Le Vins de la Vallée du Rhône (Comité Interprofession des vins AOC Côtes et vallée du Rhône)### Wine Scholar Guild's Rhône valley vintage charts & ratings ### Northern RhôneGuide to the wines and appellations of the Northern Rhone Valley -The Rhône Valley/Le Vins de la Vallée du Rhône (Comité Interprofession des vins AOC Côtes et vallée du Rhône) Regional History: Phocaean Greeks established viticulture in the Rhone as far back as 600 BC, but until the 14th century the wines were not seen outside the region. The establishment of the Avignonese Papacy (1305-1377) brought fame to the region's wine-so much so that their Burgundian neighbors to the north banned wines from the Rhone in 1446, a measure that effectively cut off trade with England and other Northern European markets for over 200 years. Stretching southward from Lyon to just south of Avignon, the Rhone produces a wide variety of wines, with the appellations north of Valence producing the least (in volume), and the towns south of Montelimar producing prodigious amounts. As in other regions, the most interesting wines come from small farms. Saint-Joseph, in the northern Rhone, extends for some distance between Condrieu in the north to Saint-Peray in the south. The reds are made from Syrah and the rare whites from Marsanne and Roussanne, and Viognier. ### 2017 vintage ### "The first red wines already tasted in the Northern Rhône promise a beautiful vintage, with a quality close to the 2015 or even the 2009 vintage" - NEWRHÔNE MILLESIMES HermitageGuide to Hermitage wine Guide to Cote Rotie - Read about the Northern Rhone Valley• The appellation stretches over 3 communes in the Drôme "département" : Tain-l'Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage and Larnage. • The soils are a combination of granite with alluvial quaternary delta deposits, and, on the eastern side, Pliocene clay. This diversity explains the numerous different names given to vineyard plots within the appellation : Bessards, Greffieux, Méal, Roucoule, Beaumes, etc. • The meso-climate provides shelter from the north winds, where the majority of the slopes is well exposed, facing south. •The vineyards area adds up to 134 hectares/331 acres, with an annual production of 3,635 hectoliters. Authorized maximum yield is 40 hectoliters/hectare (2.3 US tons/acres). • Grape varieties : Syrah (an addition of up to 15% of Marsanne or Roussanne is allowed). all the single vineyards on weinlagen-info.de |