Hermitage la Chapelle 2015 - Domaine Jaboulet (CBO double magnum, 3 l)

Hermitage La Chapelle 2015 — Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné

This Hermitage La Chapelle 2015 from Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné, offered here in double magnum 3 L in original wooden case, embodies one of the mythical great cuvées of the Rhône Valley. From the great terroirs of Hermitage, La Chapelle expresses Syrah in a deep, powerful and aristocratic dimension: cassis, blackberry, blueberry, black cherry, violet, black pepper, black olive, liquorice, graphite, smoke, fine leather, spice and a very long mineral finish.

La Chapelle takes its name from the small Saint-Christophe chapel overlooking the hill of Hermitage. The emblematic cuvée of Paul Jaboulet Aîné, it is made from a selection of the appellation’s great lieux-dits, giving a wine of depth, structure and very long ageing potential. The 2015 vintage is one of the most remarkable of the decade in the Northern Rhône, combining ripeness, concentration, freshness and controlled power. The double magnum further reinforces slow evolution and the collector dimension.

Terroir: the hill of Hermitage, granite, stones and the power of Syrah

The Hermitage appellation extends over the famous hill overlooking Tain-l’Hermitage and the Rhône. Its complex soils combine granite, clay, sand, stones and limestone elements depending on the lieux-dits, giving Syrah unique depth, imposing tannic structure and exceptional ageing capacity. La Chapelle draws its identity from this mosaic of great terroirs.

Hermitage Syrah is distinguished by its combination of intense black fruit, spice, violet, smoky notes, graphite and firm minerality. In the 2015, the terroir expresses itself with remarkable density: cassis, blackberry, blueberry, black olive, black pepper, liquorice, warm earth, fine leather and mineral tension. The ripeness of the vintage brings breadth and richness, while the hill preserves freshness and verticality.

Tasting notes

Appearance: deep purple with garnet and black reflections, dense, bright and still very youthful. In double magnum, the colour should preserve its intensity, dark brilliance and depth for a long time, with much slower evolution than in a standard bottle.

Nose: deep, powerful and highly complex, with cassis, blackberry, blueberry, black cherry, black fruits, violet, black pepper, liquorice, black olive, graphite and noble smoke. With aeration, nuances of fine leather, smoked bacon, cocoa, tapenade, cedar, warm earth, incense, oriental spices and dried herbs may appear.

Palate: full, dense, firmly built and masterfully structured, with profound substance and great mineral energy. Flavours of cassis, blackberry, blueberry, black fruits, pepper, liquorice, black olive, smoke and graphite unfold with power, supported by firm yet ripe tannins. The finish is very long, fresh, spicy and mineral, with an impression of contained force and great Rhône nobility.

Expression of the 2015 vintage

The 2015 vintage in the Northern Rhône is recognised for its exceptional quality, full ripeness, concentration and balance. In Hermitage, it gives wines that are powerful, deep and solar, yet capable of preserving freshness, tension and precision. For La Chapelle, this year produced a cuvée of great density, with intense black fruit, imposing structure, ripe tannins and remarkable length.

Today, this Hermitage La Chapelle 2015 in double magnum remains very young and has considerable ageing potential. It can already impress through its power and brightness after careful aeration, but its true horizon is long cellaring. With time, the black fruits should evolve towards more truffle, leather, tobacco, tapenade, forest floor, melted spices, smoke, graphite and mineral complexity.