Paul Jaboulet Aîné
About Paul Jaboulet Aîné
Undoubtedly one of the greatest names in the Rhône Valley, Paul Jaboulet Aîné was founded in 1834 by Antoine Jaboulet and is perhaps best known for its flagship La Chapelle, of which the 1961 vintage still holds the title as one of the greatest wines ever made. A series of mishaps in the 1990s threw the estate in disarray and it took the financial might of the Frey family to set the estate on a path to recovery.
Since 2006, the Frey family have accomplished an impressive feat at Paul Jaboulet Aine by taking this historic estate to its rightful place as the first growth of the Rhone. With their experience at Chateau La Lagune in Bordeaux, the Frey family saw the potential in Jaboulet’s vineyards, including the important and iconic vineyard, Hermitage La Chapelle.
Caroline Frey has since taken over as owner and winemaker of Paul Jaboulet Aîné and within 10 years, enabled Paul Jaboulet Aîné to attain organic certification.
Prices:
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Vinous (93)
Deep ruby. An explosive, seductively perfumed bouquet evokes fresh blueberry, cassis, potpourri and black olive, with a smoky nuance gaining power with air. Shows very good depth and focus on the palate, offering sweet dark fruit flavors braced by tangy acidity. Quite lithe and suavely tannic for a Cornas (Caroline Frey pointed out that this is always the case for this wine, which is sourced from one of the appellation's highest and coolest sites), finishing with excellent clarity and lift.Paul Jaboulet Aine Cornas Saint Pierre 2012 (6x75cl)
Inc. TAX: €349.04 -
Vinous (93)
Bright purple. Powerful black and blue fruit, tobacco and floral scents pick up olive and cracked pepper notes as the wine opens up. In a weighty, broad-shouldered style, offering appealingly sweet cherry and blueberry preserve flavors along with suggestions of spicecake, licorice and smoky bacon. Finishes very long and chewy, with just a hint of fine-grained tannins and resonating blue fruit and spice notes.Paul Jaboulet Aine Cornas Saint Pierre 2016 (6x75cl)
Inc. TAX: €385.04 -
Vinous (93)
Inky ruby. Powerful, mineral-driven aromas of ripe black/blue fruits, candied violet, olive and exotic spices. Densely packed and focused on the palate, offering bitter cherry and boysenberry flavors that unfold slowly with air and show sharp delineation. The blue fruit and floral notes drive a long, juicy finish given framework by dusty, slow-building tannins.Paul Jaboulet Aine Cornas Saint Pierre 2017 (6x75cl)
Inc. TAX: €356.24 -
James Suckling (94)
Two small parcels here, this pure syrah has a very attractive nose with sweetly fragrant spices, smoked meat, asphalt, graphite, white pepper and a swathe of ripe purple berries, laced with oak spice. The palate has such long, fine tannins. Very sleek, attractive and deep, this offers so much already, but will be best from 2025.Paul Jaboulet Aine Cote-Rotie Domaine des Pierrelles 2017 (6x75cl)
Inc. TAX: €585.44 -
Vinous (93-95)
Vibrant cherry, blueberry, potpourri and allspice qualities on the highly perfumed nose. Silky, seamless and sweet in the mouth, offering juicy, spice-tinged red and blue fruit, floral pastille and spicecake flavors that deepen slowly on the back half. A smoky mineral note arrives on the long, penetrating, floral-driven finish, which is given shape by smooth, well-integrated tannins.Paul Jaboulet Aine Cote-Rotie Domaine des Pierrelles 2019 (6x75cl)
Inc. TAX: €609.32 -
Paul Jaboulet Aine Cotes-du-Rhone Parallele 45 Blanc 2019 (6x75cl)
Inc. TAX: €183.44 -
Wine Advocate (94)
Bearing more than a passing resemblance to an actual Hermitage, the 2017 Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Roure comes from granitic soils, and it comes across as darker, more concentrated and sturdier than Jaboulet's other Crozes bottlings. Cassis and black olive notes abound in this full-bodied, structured wine, which finishes long and velvety, picking up hints of baking spices along the way.Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Roure 2017 (6x75cl)
Inc. TAX: €253.04 -
Vinous (92)
Opaque ruby. Fresh dark berries, cherry pit and peppery spices on the pungent nose. Smoky and focused on the palate, offering juicy blackberry and bitter cherry flavors that deepen and unfold slowly with air. The spicy element comes back on a long, youthfully tannic finish that leaves behind notes of cherry pit, licorice and cracked pepper. Give this promising youngster some air if you plan on opening it any time soon.Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes-Hermitage Thalabert 2013 (6x75cl)
Inc. TAX: €202.64 -
Wine Advocate (93+)
The 2015 Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert is a super effort, packed with savory notes of black olives and crushed stones. It's full-bodied and rich, with a hint of cedary oak, but there's plenty of fruit and ripe tannins on the lingering finish. Like some of those fine Thalabert vintages of the past, it should drink well for a couple of decades.Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes-Hermitage Thalabert 2015 (6x75cl)
Inc. TAX: €315.44 -
Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes-Hermitage Thalabert 2016 (6x75cl)
Inc. TAX: €215.84 -
Jeb Dunnuck (94)
This terroir always delivers a wild, opulent, gamey style of wine, and the 2017 Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert doesn’t disappoint. Loads of chocolaty black fruits, ground pepper, truffle, and smoked game, as well as a hint of black olives, emerge from the glass, and it’s medium to full-bodied, has a rocking texture, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It’s a classic example of this wine and terroir. Drink it over the coming 15 years or so.Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes-Hermitage Thalabert 2017 (6x75cl)
Inc. TAX: €173.84 -
Wine Advocate (93-95)
Although the fruit sourcing has changed from the old days, the 2018 Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert remains a solid offering in the Jaboulet lineup. Violets accent blackberries and plums on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied, lush and velvety, underscored by doses of salinity and licorice on the lengthy finish.Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes-Hermitage Thalabert 2018 (6x75cl)
Inc. TAX: €266.24 -
Matthew Jukes (18+)
Following on from the terrific 2018 vintage, this is another exuberant wine with an inky dark hue and masses of swirling, black fruit notes. This is certainly the most exotically perfumed Thalabert I can remember and this reflects the unique fruit concentration and ripeness found in this vintage. Once you taste this wine you see that it is not all about the luxuriously appointed nose because the palate is packed with spice and tension and the finish is positively electric. In terms of accessibility and also potential, this wine is a conundrum – how can something so young and attractive also seem so compact and age-worthy? This is the key to all of Jaboulet’s 2019s. The exquisite balance between ravishing fruit and refreshing, robust tannins is mesmerising. This is a stupendous Thalabert and I think it is a notch up on the brilliant 2018.Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes-Hermitage Thalabert 2019 (6x75cl)
Inc. TAX: €256.64 -
Wine Advocate (96)
Lacking that extra dimension of freshness and purity of the '90, the 1989 Hermitage la Chapelle is still a fabulous wine that offers sensational aromatic fireworks to go with full-bodied richness and depth. Showing classic la Chapelle smoked meats, currants, wood smoke and chocolate, this beauty hits the palate with no hard edges, a blockbuster texture and a finish that just won't quit. It shows the slightly more masculine, austere edge of the vintage, but the tannin is beautifully sweet and it packs a serious amount of fruit in the mid-palate. I've had a few tired bottles of this over the past few years, so provenance is key. Nevertheless, well-stored bottles will continue to drink beautifully for another couple decades.Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 1989 (12x75cl) As per photo.
Inc. TAX: €6,734.09 -
Wine Spectator (94)
After a hot summer followed by rain at harvest, this "miracle" vintage produced many gorgeous northern Rhône Syrahs. Balanced, racy, elegant, fresh and sweet-tasting, with smooth tannins. Aromas of leather, roasted nuts, plum and wood smoke bring a complexity that seduces. Medium-bodied and in the lineage of '96.--La Chapelle vertical. Drink now through 2015. -PMPaul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 1991 (1x75cl) As per photos
Inc. TAX: €490.36 -
Wine Spectator (94)
After a hot summer followed by rain at harvest, this "miracle" vintage produced many gorgeous northern Rhône Syrahs. Balanced, racy, elegant, fresh and sweet-tasting, with smooth tannins. Aromas of leather, roasted nuts, plum and wood smoke bring a complexity that seduces. Medium-bodied and in the lineage of '96.--La Chapelle vertical. Drink now through 2015. -PMPaul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 1991 (6x75cl)
Inc. TAX: €2,065.04 -
Wine Advocate (92)
The 1996 Hermitage La Chapelle is immensely impressive. The acidity is high. The color is black/purple, and the wine is extremely concentrated, but unevolved and impossible to penetrate. It could turn out like the 1983 and never develop as well as its early promise suggests. Nevertheless, it is a massive effort with extraordinary concentration, but the high acidity requires a minimum of 10 years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2025Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 1996 (1x75cl) As per photos
Inc. TAX: €223.97 -
Wine Advocate (98)
It will be thrilling to follow the 2009 and 2010 la Chapelles over the coming 40-50 years. Much more sexy, voluptuous and layered than the 2010, the 2009 Hermitage la Chapelle offers sensational levels of extract and concentration to go with notes of cassis, black raspberries, coffee bean, toasted bread and sweet spice. Beautifully pure, layered, and yet massively endowed, with sweet tannin, it will be drinkable at an earlier age than the 2010, but I suspect will be just as long lived. It's a true tour de force in Hermitage!Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2009 (6x75cl)
Inc. TAX: €1,525.04 -
Decanter (98)
This legendary estate is now owned by the Frey family, who have returned it and its wines to greatness. The wine is 100% Syrah from 60-year-old vines planted around the chapelle on the hill of Hermitage. The colour has barely changed since its youth, and the nose remains remarkably youthful with intense black fruits and a hint of floral perfume. The palate is dominated by a welter of morello cherry, damson, cream, coffee, spice, ink and violets. It possesses extraordinary balance with juxtaposing acidity and ripe, polished tannins. The small amount of new oak has been completely subsumed by the fruit, and it's both elegant and sturdy - a great thoroughbred built for the long haul. It's delicious now but will become even more so over then next two or three decades.Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2010 (6x75cl)
Inc. TAX: €1,639.04 -
James Suckling (97)
A gorgeous intensity of plum, spice and grilled meat on the nose. Cloves and hints of dried spices. This is a big, structured La Chappelle. Full and powerful with chewy tannins and a long, long finish. A bit austere and muscular but gorgeous. Tar, spice, dried meat and asphalt. Needs to be aged for at least another five or six years. This is another 1991 in the making.Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2011 (6x75cl)
Inc. TAX: €853.04 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97)
I’ve always loved the 2012 Hermitage La Chapelle, and this is the first vintage where winemaker Caroline Frey feels that you can see the full effect of the shift to organic viticulture. Its deep purple color is followed by a ripe, full-bodied, sexy wine loaded with notions of bouquet garni, toasted bread, spiced meats, and assorted darker fruits. Concentrated, structured, and perfectly balanced, it’s a magical Hermitage that has some accessibility today yet will cruise for another 25-30 years.Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2012 (6x75cl)
Inc. TAX: €1,001.84 -
Jeb Dunnuck (100)
Lastly, and a legendary wine in the making, the 2015 Hermitage La Chapelle is reminiscent of the 1990 with its full-bodied, opulently, sexy, yet concentrated style. Offering sensational notes of blackcurrants, smoked herbs, beef blood, and chocolate, it’s a huge yet elegant wine that has masses of sweet tannin, incredible purity and finesse, and a killer finish. It’s the finest wine from this estate in close to 30 years. Hats off to Caroline Frey and Jacques Desvernois!Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2015 (1x300cl)
Inc. TAX: €1,072.30 -
Jeb Dunnuck (100)
Lastly, and a legendary wine in the making, the 2015 Hermitage La Chapelle is reminiscent of the 1990 with its full-bodied, opulently, sexy, yet concentrated style. Offering sensational notes of blackcurrants, smoked herbs, beef blood, and chocolate, it’s a huge yet elegant wine that has masses of sweet tannin, incredible purity and finesse, and a killer finish. It’s the finest wine from this estate in close to 30 years. Hats off to Caroline Frey and Jacques Desvernois!Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2015 (6x75cl)
Inc. TAX: €1,525.04 -
James Suckling (97-98)
Very spicy and peppery with blue-granite aromas plus hints of grilled and smoked meat. Cloves and nutmeg. Full body, round and juicy tannins and a super spicy finish that almost burns with so much character yet turns fine and focused at the end. A beauty.Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2016 (3x150cl)
Inc. TAX: €1,119.44 -
James Suckling (97-98)
Very spicy and peppery with blue-granite aromas plus hints of grilled and smoked meat. Cloves and nutmeg. Full body, round and juicy tannins and a super spicy finish that almost burns with so much character yet turns fine and focused at the end. A beauty.Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2016 (6x75cl)
Inc. TAX: €1,085.84 -
Jeb Dunnuck (99)
The 2017 Hermitage La Chapelle showed incredibly well and is a brilliant wine that's reminiscent of a richer, denser 2011. Loads of sun-kissed dark fruits, leather, graphite, and flowers, with ample spice and sandalwood nuances, give way to a full-bodied, pure, deep, multi-dimensional Hermitage that’s just about as good as it gets. The balance, length, and depth of this is something to behold, and while it unquestionably offers pleasure today, it has another 20-30 years of prime drinking ahead of it.Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2017 (6x75cl)
Inc. TAX: €1,123.04 -
Wine Advocate (98-100)
Jaboulet's 2018 Hermitage La Chapelle features scents of crushed stone, violets and cassis. It's a classic trio, backed by a wine that's full-bodied, rich and powerful yet also airy, somehow carrying intense plum and black olive flavors without any sense of heaviness or excess weight. Then the wine finishes long and softly dusty, with tannins that accentuate its savory character, picking up delicious hints of licorice at the very end. The proportion of new oak has been trimmed back to a very reasonable 20% and is hardly noticeable in the wine.Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2018 (6x75cl)
Inc. TAX: €1,699.04 -
Matthew Jukes (20++)
Like La Maison Bleue, La Chapelle barely moved an inch over the five days that it sat open (and gradually oxidising) on my tasting bench. This is a monumental wine with the finest Syrah nose I have seen since the ethereal and intriguing beauty of the remarkable 2016 vintage and also the monolithic stance of the legendary 1990. However, this is not to say that this vintage can be directly compared to either year. There is a latent power about this wine that is as elusive as it is impressive. This solaire vintage has certainly given La Chapelle a sense of foreboding power and yet there is so much grace here, too. You could be sniffing a handful of granite and gravel, a bouquet of freshly picked herbs, a mortar of freshly ground pepper or a punnet of juicy black fruit and yet there is so much more to discover here. What I find so remarkable about this wine is that it does not show any trace of over-ripeness nor does it have any unwanted oiliness or excessive alcohol. In spite of its richness and depth, this is a pristinely refreshing wine with crunch and crackle of filigree tannin which enlivens every sip. In this regard, it is a far less obvious superstar than the preening 1990 and it is a more erudite and statuesque model than the esoteric 2016. In short, this is one of only a handful of vintages of La Chapelle to which I have awarded a perfect score and who is to say that this will not happen again before too long? The care and attention in this entire portfolio of wines are evident and the hard work and holistic approach are not only paying off in the vineyards but also in the glass, too, and this makes 2019 another phenomenally successful vintage for Jaboulet.Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2019 (3x150cl)
Inc. TAX: €1,957.04 -
Matthew Jukes (20++)
Like La Maison Bleue, La Chapelle barely moved an inch over the five days that it sat open (and gradually oxidising) on my tasting bench. This is a monumental wine with the finest Syrah nose I have seen since the ethereal and intriguing beauty of the remarkable 2016 vintage and also the monolithic stance of the legendary 1990. However, this is not to say that this vintage can be directly compared to either year. There is a latent power about this wine that is as elusive as it is impressive. This solaire vintage has certainly given La Chapelle a sense of foreboding power and yet there is so much grace here, too. You could be sniffing a handful of granite and gravel, a bouquet of freshly picked herbs, a mortar of freshly ground pepper or a punnet of juicy black fruit and yet there is so much more to discover here. What I find so remarkable about this wine is that it does not show any trace of over-ripeness nor does it have any unwanted oiliness or excessive alcohol. In spite of its richness and depth, this is a pristinely refreshing wine with crunch and crackle of filigree tannin which enlivens every sip. In this regard, it is a far less obvious superstar than the preening 1990 and it is a more erudite and statuesque model than the esoteric 2016. In short, this is one of only a handful of vintages of La Chapelle to which I have awarded a perfect score and who is to say that this will not happen again before too long? The care and attention in this entire portfolio of wines are evident and the hard work and holistic approach are not only paying off in the vineyards but also in the glass, too, and this makes 2019 another phenomenally successful vintage for Jaboulet.Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2019 (6x75cl)
Inc. TAX: €1,309.04 -
Vinous (93)
(100% old vines marsanne) Green-hued gold. Spicy, energetic aromas of grapefruit pith, green apple and lemon thyme, with a deeper note of nectarine. Sharply focused and mineral-driven, offering nervy citrus zest flavors and a more intense orchard fruit quality. Dense but refreshingly lithe on the finish, which echoes the floral and mineral notes.Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle Blanc 2009 (6x75cl)
Inc. TAX: €1,657.04
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Vinous (93)
Deep ruby. An explosive, seductively perfumed bouquet evokes fresh blueberry, cassis, potpourri and black olive, with a smoky nuance gaining power with air. Shows very good depth and focus on the palate, offering sweet dark fruit flavors braced by tangy acidity. Quite lithe and suavely tannic for a Cornas (Caroline Frey pointed out that this is always the case for this wine, which is sourced from one of the appellation's highest and coolest sites), finishing with excellent clarity and lift.Paul Jaboulet Aine Cornas Saint Pierre 2012 (6x75cl)
In Bond: €275.00 -
Vinous (93)
Bright purple. Powerful black and blue fruit, tobacco and floral scents pick up olive and cracked pepper notes as the wine opens up. In a weighty, broad-shouldered style, offering appealingly sweet cherry and blueberry preserve flavors along with suggestions of spicecake, licorice and smoky bacon. Finishes very long and chewy, with just a hint of fine-grained tannins and resonating blue fruit and spice notes.Paul Jaboulet Aine Cornas Saint Pierre 2016 (6x75cl)
In Bond: €305.00 -
Vinous (93)
Inky ruby. Powerful, mineral-driven aromas of ripe black/blue fruits, candied violet, olive and exotic spices. Densely packed and focused on the palate, offering bitter cherry and boysenberry flavors that unfold slowly with air and show sharp delineation. The blue fruit and floral notes drive a long, juicy finish given framework by dusty, slow-building tannins.Paul Jaboulet Aine Cornas Saint Pierre 2017 (6x75cl)
In Bond: €281.00 -
James Suckling (94)
Two small parcels here, this pure syrah has a very attractive nose with sweetly fragrant spices, smoked meat, asphalt, graphite, white pepper and a swathe of ripe purple berries, laced with oak spice. The palate has such long, fine tannins. Very sleek, attractive and deep, this offers so much already, but will be best from 2025.Paul Jaboulet Aine Cote-Rotie Domaine des Pierrelles 2017 (6x75cl)
In Bond: €472.00 -
Vinous (93-95)
Vibrant cherry, blueberry, potpourri and allspice qualities on the highly perfumed nose. Silky, seamless and sweet in the mouth, offering juicy, spice-tinged red and blue fruit, floral pastille and spicecake flavors that deepen slowly on the back half. A smoky mineral note arrives on the long, penetrating, floral-driven finish, which is given shape by smooth, well-integrated tannins.Paul Jaboulet Aine Cote-Rotie Domaine des Pierrelles 2019 (6x75cl)
In Bond: €492.00 -
Paul Jaboulet Aine Cotes-du-Rhone Parallele 45 Blanc 2019 (6x75cl)
In Bond: €137.00 -
Wine Advocate (94)
Bearing more than a passing resemblance to an actual Hermitage, the 2017 Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Roure comes from granitic soils, and it comes across as darker, more concentrated and sturdier than Jaboulet's other Crozes bottlings. Cassis and black olive notes abound in this full-bodied, structured wine, which finishes long and velvety, picking up hints of baking spices along the way.Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Roure 2017 (6x75cl)
In Bond: €195.00 -
Vinous (92)
Opaque ruby. Fresh dark berries, cherry pit and peppery spices on the pungent nose. Smoky and focused on the palate, offering juicy blackberry and bitter cherry flavors that deepen and unfold slowly with air. The spicy element comes back on a long, youthfully tannic finish that leaves behind notes of cherry pit, licorice and cracked pepper. Give this promising youngster some air if you plan on opening it any time soon.Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes-Hermitage Thalabert 2013 (6x75cl)
In Bond: €153.00 -
Wine Advocate (93+)
The 2015 Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert is a super effort, packed with savory notes of black olives and crushed stones. It's full-bodied and rich, with a hint of cedary oak, but there's plenty of fruit and ripe tannins on the lingering finish. Like some of those fine Thalabert vintages of the past, it should drink well for a couple of decades.Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes-Hermitage Thalabert 2015 (6x75cl)
In Bond: €247.00 -
Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes-Hermitage Thalabert 2016 (6x75cl)
In Bond: €164.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (94)
This terroir always delivers a wild, opulent, gamey style of wine, and the 2017 Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert doesn’t disappoint. Loads of chocolaty black fruits, ground pepper, truffle, and smoked game, as well as a hint of black olives, emerge from the glass, and it’s medium to full-bodied, has a rocking texture, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It’s a classic example of this wine and terroir. Drink it over the coming 15 years or so.Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes-Hermitage Thalabert 2017 (6x75cl)
In Bond: €129.00 -
Wine Advocate (93-95)
Although the fruit sourcing has changed from the old days, the 2018 Crozes Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert remains a solid offering in the Jaboulet lineup. Violets accent blackberries and plums on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied, lush and velvety, underscored by doses of salinity and licorice on the lengthy finish.Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes-Hermitage Thalabert 2018 (6x75cl)
In Bond: €206.00 -
Matthew Jukes (18+)
Following on from the terrific 2018 vintage, this is another exuberant wine with an inky dark hue and masses of swirling, black fruit notes. This is certainly the most exotically perfumed Thalabert I can remember and this reflects the unique fruit concentration and ripeness found in this vintage. Once you taste this wine you see that it is not all about the luxuriously appointed nose because the palate is packed with spice and tension and the finish is positively electric. In terms of accessibility and also potential, this wine is a conundrum – how can something so young and attractive also seem so compact and age-worthy? This is the key to all of Jaboulet’s 2019s. The exquisite balance between ravishing fruit and refreshing, robust tannins is mesmerising. This is a stupendous Thalabert and I think it is a notch up on the brilliant 2018.Paul Jaboulet Aine Crozes-Hermitage Thalabert 2019 (6x75cl)
In Bond: €198.00 -
Wine Advocate (96)
Lacking that extra dimension of freshness and purity of the '90, the 1989 Hermitage la Chapelle is still a fabulous wine that offers sensational aromatic fireworks to go with full-bodied richness and depth. Showing classic la Chapelle smoked meats, currants, wood smoke and chocolate, this beauty hits the palate with no hard edges, a blockbuster texture and a finish that just won't quit. It shows the slightly more masculine, austere edge of the vintage, but the tannin is beautifully sweet and it packs a serious amount of fruit in the mid-palate. I've had a few tired bottles of this over the past few years, so provenance is key. Nevertheless, well-stored bottles will continue to drink beautifully for another couple decades.Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 1989 (12x75cl) As per photo.
In Bond: €5,580.00 -
Wine Spectator (94)
After a hot summer followed by rain at harvest, this "miracle" vintage produced many gorgeous northern Rhône Syrahs. Balanced, racy, elegant, fresh and sweet-tasting, with smooth tannins. Aromas of leather, roasted nuts, plum and wood smoke bring a complexity that seduces. Medium-bodied and in the lineage of '96.--La Chapelle vertical. Drink now through 2015. -PMPaul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 1991 (1x75cl) As per photos
In Bond: €406.00 -
Wine Spectator (94)
After a hot summer followed by rain at harvest, this "miracle" vintage produced many gorgeous northern Rhône Syrahs. Balanced, racy, elegant, fresh and sweet-tasting, with smooth tannins. Aromas of leather, roasted nuts, plum and wood smoke bring a complexity that seduces. Medium-bodied and in the lineage of '96.--La Chapelle vertical. Drink now through 2015. -PMPaul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 1991 (6x75cl)
In Bond: €1,705.00 -
Wine Advocate (92)
The 1996 Hermitage La Chapelle is immensely impressive. The acidity is high. The color is black/purple, and the wine is extremely concentrated, but unevolved and impossible to penetrate. It could turn out like the 1983 and never develop as well as its early promise suggests. Nevertheless, it is a massive effort with extraordinary concentration, but the high acidity requires a minimum of 10 years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2025Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 1996 (1x75cl) As per photos
In Bond: €184.00 -
Wine Advocate (98)
It will be thrilling to follow the 2009 and 2010 la Chapelles over the coming 40-50 years. Much more sexy, voluptuous and layered than the 2010, the 2009 Hermitage la Chapelle offers sensational levels of extract and concentration to go with notes of cassis, black raspberries, coffee bean, toasted bread and sweet spice. Beautifully pure, layered, and yet massively endowed, with sweet tannin, it will be drinkable at an earlier age than the 2010, but I suspect will be just as long lived. It's a true tour de force in Hermitage!Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2009 (6x75cl)
In Bond: €1,255.00 -
Decanter (98)
This legendary estate is now owned by the Frey family, who have returned it and its wines to greatness. The wine is 100% Syrah from 60-year-old vines planted around the chapelle on the hill of Hermitage. The colour has barely changed since its youth, and the nose remains remarkably youthful with intense black fruits and a hint of floral perfume. The palate is dominated by a welter of morello cherry, damson, cream, coffee, spice, ink and violets. It possesses extraordinary balance with juxtaposing acidity and ripe, polished tannins. The small amount of new oak has been completely subsumed by the fruit, and it's both elegant and sturdy - a great thoroughbred built for the long haul. It's delicious now but will become even more so over then next two or three decades.Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2010 (6x75cl)
In Bond: €1,350.00 -
James Suckling (97)
A gorgeous intensity of plum, spice and grilled meat on the nose. Cloves and hints of dried spices. This is a big, structured La Chappelle. Full and powerful with chewy tannins and a long, long finish. A bit austere and muscular but gorgeous. Tar, spice, dried meat and asphalt. Needs to be aged for at least another five or six years. This is another 1991 in the making.Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2011 (6x75cl)
In Bond: €695.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97)
I’ve always loved the 2012 Hermitage La Chapelle, and this is the first vintage where winemaker Caroline Frey feels that you can see the full effect of the shift to organic viticulture. Its deep purple color is followed by a ripe, full-bodied, sexy wine loaded with notions of bouquet garni, toasted bread, spiced meats, and assorted darker fruits. Concentrated, structured, and perfectly balanced, it’s a magical Hermitage that has some accessibility today yet will cruise for another 25-30 years.Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2012 (6x75cl)
In Bond: €819.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (100)
Lastly, and a legendary wine in the making, the 2015 Hermitage La Chapelle is reminiscent of the 1990 with its full-bodied, opulently, sexy, yet concentrated style. Offering sensational notes of blackcurrants, smoked herbs, beef blood, and chocolate, it’s a huge yet elegant wine that has masses of sweet tannin, incredible purity and finesse, and a killer finish. It’s the finest wine from this estate in close to 30 years. Hats off to Caroline Frey and Jacques Desvernois!Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2015 (1x300cl)
In Bond: €883.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (100)
Lastly, and a legendary wine in the making, the 2015 Hermitage La Chapelle is reminiscent of the 1990 with its full-bodied, opulently, sexy, yet concentrated style. Offering sensational notes of blackcurrants, smoked herbs, beef blood, and chocolate, it’s a huge yet elegant wine that has masses of sweet tannin, incredible purity and finesse, and a killer finish. It’s the finest wine from this estate in close to 30 years. Hats off to Caroline Frey and Jacques Desvernois!Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2015 (6x75cl)
In Bond: €1,255.00 -
James Suckling (97-98)
Very spicy and peppery with blue-granite aromas plus hints of grilled and smoked meat. Cloves and nutmeg. Full body, round and juicy tannins and a super spicy finish that almost burns with so much character yet turns fine and focused at the end. A beauty.Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2016 (3x150cl)
In Bond: €917.00 -
James Suckling (97-98)
Very spicy and peppery with blue-granite aromas plus hints of grilled and smoked meat. Cloves and nutmeg. Full body, round and juicy tannins and a super spicy finish that almost burns with so much character yet turns fine and focused at the end. A beauty.Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2016 (6x75cl)
In Bond: €889.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (99)
The 2017 Hermitage La Chapelle showed incredibly well and is a brilliant wine that's reminiscent of a richer, denser 2011. Loads of sun-kissed dark fruits, leather, graphite, and flowers, with ample spice and sandalwood nuances, give way to a full-bodied, pure, deep, multi-dimensional Hermitage that’s just about as good as it gets. The balance, length, and depth of this is something to behold, and while it unquestionably offers pleasure today, it has another 20-30 years of prime drinking ahead of it.Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2017 (6x75cl)
In Bond: €920.00 -
Wine Advocate (98-100)
Jaboulet's 2018 Hermitage La Chapelle features scents of crushed stone, violets and cassis. It's a classic trio, backed by a wine that's full-bodied, rich and powerful yet also airy, somehow carrying intense plum and black olive flavors without any sense of heaviness or excess weight. Then the wine finishes long and softly dusty, with tannins that accentuate its savory character, picking up delicious hints of licorice at the very end. The proportion of new oak has been trimmed back to a very reasonable 20% and is hardly noticeable in the wine.Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2018 (6x75cl)
In Bond: €1,400.00 -
Matthew Jukes (20++)
Like La Maison Bleue, La Chapelle barely moved an inch over the five days that it sat open (and gradually oxidising) on my tasting bench. This is a monumental wine with the finest Syrah nose I have seen since the ethereal and intriguing beauty of the remarkable 2016 vintage and also the monolithic stance of the legendary 1990. However, this is not to say that this vintage can be directly compared to either year. There is a latent power about this wine that is as elusive as it is impressive. This solaire vintage has certainly given La Chapelle a sense of foreboding power and yet there is so much grace here, too. You could be sniffing a handful of granite and gravel, a bouquet of freshly picked herbs, a mortar of freshly ground pepper or a punnet of juicy black fruit and yet there is so much more to discover here. What I find so remarkable about this wine is that it does not show any trace of over-ripeness nor does it have any unwanted oiliness or excessive alcohol. In spite of its richness and depth, this is a pristinely refreshing wine with crunch and crackle of filigree tannin which enlivens every sip. In this regard, it is a far less obvious superstar than the preening 1990 and it is a more erudite and statuesque model than the esoteric 2016. In short, this is one of only a handful of vintages of La Chapelle to which I have awarded a perfect score and who is to say that this will not happen again before too long? The care and attention in this entire portfolio of wines are evident and the hard work and holistic approach are not only paying off in the vineyards but also in the glass, too, and this makes 2019 another phenomenally successful vintage for Jaboulet.Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2019 (3x150cl)
In Bond: €1,615.00 -
Matthew Jukes (20++)
Like La Maison Bleue, La Chapelle barely moved an inch over the five days that it sat open (and gradually oxidising) on my tasting bench. This is a monumental wine with the finest Syrah nose I have seen since the ethereal and intriguing beauty of the remarkable 2016 vintage and also the monolithic stance of the legendary 1990. However, this is not to say that this vintage can be directly compared to either year. There is a latent power about this wine that is as elusive as it is impressive. This solaire vintage has certainly given La Chapelle a sense of foreboding power and yet there is so much grace here, too. You could be sniffing a handful of granite and gravel, a bouquet of freshly picked herbs, a mortar of freshly ground pepper or a punnet of juicy black fruit and yet there is so much more to discover here. What I find so remarkable about this wine is that it does not show any trace of over-ripeness nor does it have any unwanted oiliness or excessive alcohol. In spite of its richness and depth, this is a pristinely refreshing wine with crunch and crackle of filigree tannin which enlivens every sip. In this regard, it is a far less obvious superstar than the preening 1990 and it is a more erudite and statuesque model than the esoteric 2016. In short, this is one of only a handful of vintages of La Chapelle to which I have awarded a perfect score and who is to say that this will not happen again before too long? The care and attention in this entire portfolio of wines are evident and the hard work and holistic approach are not only paying off in the vineyards but also in the glass, too, and this makes 2019 another phenomenally successful vintage for Jaboulet.Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2019 (6x75cl)
In Bond: €1,075.00 -
Vinous (93)
(100% old vines marsanne) Green-hued gold. Spicy, energetic aromas of grapefruit pith, green apple and lemon thyme, with a deeper note of nectarine. Sharply focused and mineral-driven, offering nervy citrus zest flavors and a more intense orchard fruit quality. Dense but refreshingly lithe on the finish, which echoes the floral and mineral notes.Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle Blanc 2009 (6x75cl)
In Bond: €1,365.00
