Community Tasting Note

Paul S wrote:

Monday, June 4, 2012 - "Barely Legal" Lunch (Asia Grand, Odeon Towers): There has been so much variability with these bottles. This was one of the better ones - a really nice wine. Maybe not as great as one would expect from a wine with as storied a reputation as La Chapelle, but certainly rather better than its dire reputation for underperforming in the mid-nineties would lead one to believe. It had a really lovely nose, with black cherries and cassis wrapped some earth smoked meat and a hint of mint and minerally nuances. Lovely stuff. The palate was very pleasurable too, with a strong attack led by pure, light-footed cassis notes with a little blackberry-like sweetness following up. Good depth there, but it was more the great balance lent to it by fresh acidity and fine tannins that really marked the wine out for me. It had all the beautiful focus and definition that you would expect from a good bottle of La Chapelle. On the midpalate, the black fruited notes were met by a bit of bramble and spice and some savoury roast meat flavours ast he wine moved into a really fresh finish sprinkled with a lovely layer of spice and some savoury plum powder notes. An enjoyable wine. It was not the most profound or compelling somehow, so that it seemed rather less than the sum of its parts, but it was a nice drink nonetheless. A super pairing with a roasted Wagyu short-rib as well. This particular bottle had just about reached the La Chapelle's long peak-drinking plateau I think. There is still some development in its future, but I am not sure just how much more it will improve.

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