Summary
Hermitage La Chapelle is the crown jewel of Paul Jaboulet Ainé and a legend of this famous appellation.
From the domaine: "During the 13th century, a knight called Gaspard de Sterimberg settled in the hills of Tain l’Hermitage with the permission of Blanche de Castille. On his return from the crusades, he sought calm and serenity and isolated himself as a hermit, hence the name of the Hermitage appellation. There he built a Chapel, overlooking the Rhône Valley.
La Chapelle endured the passage of time and finally became the property of Maison Paul Jaboulet Aîné in 1919.
Since the legendary 1961 vintage, which was classed as one of the Twelve mythical wines of the 20th century, Hermitage “la Chapelle” has become one of the world’s most sought-after wines."
Terroir: Contrary to popular belief Hermitage La Chapelle is not sourced from a single parcel of Hermitage. Rather it is a masterful blend of the divers terroirs of Les Bessards, Les Greffeux, Le Méal adn Les Rocoules. The varied richness of these diverse parcels join together to create a wine of incredible complexity and longevity.
Vinification: Grapes are hand-picked and brought to the base of the hill in small sleds. The selected grapes undergo a strict sorting prior to vinification. Each parcel is vinified separately and aged for 15 to 18 months or more in the cellars of the domaine. Once the final blend is chosen, the wine recieves additional time in barrel and is then aged in bottle prior to release to the market.
Hermitage La Chapelle is extremely limited in quantities. Please consult your local Wildman sales manager for availability options.
Notes
"Highly complex and distinguished on the nose, revealing the Syrah’s great finesse. Black fruits, sweet spices and, ultimately, finely woody. Full and generous, silky tannins and a very long finish." --Frederic Jaboulet
Ratings & Reviews
97+ Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
"As I wrote last year, the 2009 Hermitage La Chapelle is easily the greatest, most profound La Chapelle since the 1990. Most of this cuvee comes from Le Meal and Les Bessards vineyards, with a touch of Les Roucoules fruit in the blend. It is an opaque purple-colored wine with enormous concentration in addition to an extraordinary bouquet of graphite, creme de cassis, blackberries, licorice, beef blood and a touch of smoked game. Boasting phenomenal intensity, a full-bodied mouthfeel and 50 years of longevity, the only thing that could possibly hold it back is that most consumers should plan on laying it away for 8-10 years." - Robert Parker (Dec 2011)
96-98 Points - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
"As stated above, the formidable 2009 Hermitage La Chapelle is one of the most memorable examples of this cuvee yet produced. An inky, thick, viscous, black/purple color is accompanied by abundant notes of creme de cassis, spring flowers, graphite, licorice and beef blood. The wine possesses massive concentration, sensational freshness and purity, abundant sweet, velvety tannins and a huge finish. Stylistically, it has the opulence and viscosity of the 1990, and the structure and freshness of the 1978. The 2009 requires 7-10 years of cellaring and will drink well for 30-40+ years. " - Robert Parker (Feb 2011)
94-96 Points - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar:"Glass-staining purple. Intense, assertively perfumed aromas of blueberry preserves, cherry, licorice and violet, with a strong incense quality. Impressively deep and spicy, offering floral-accented dark berry flavors that show superb clarity and a lively mineral quality. Tangy acidity adds lift and cut to an endless, sappy finish. This wine's blend of richness and energy is outstanding." - Josh Raynolds (Jan/Feb '11)
