Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage la Chapelle 2019
The 2019 Hermitage La Chapelle from Paul Jaboulet Aîné is a profound Syrah of regal bearing, exuding intense aromas of crushed stone violets and mineral‑infused black and blue fruits. The palate offers velvety espresso‑tinged dark berries wrapped in luxurious texture and tension, culminating in a finish of licorice‑laced freshness and resonant length.
Tasting
- Aroma
- crushed stone and violet‑tinged black‑fruit perfume
- Palate
- velvety espresso‑infused dark berries with polished tannin
- Finish
- licorice and mineral‑driven, lingering
Pairs with
- herb‑crusted lamb
- venison in game sauce
- beef côte de bœuf
- aged hard cheeses
From the Archive
If you did not know, La Chapelle is not a vineyard. It’s a trade marked name. It takes its name from the small chapel of St. Christophe. The fruit is sourced from Bessards, Le Meal, Greffieux and Rocoules.
To produce the wine of Jaboulet La Chapelle, the grapes are 100% destemmed and are fermented on a parcel by parcel basis. The amount of new, French oak used to age the wine varies from vintage to vintage, depending on the character and quality of the harvest.
The wine is full bodied, concentrated and with expressive black fruit and leafy, earthy and iron scents. Typically, Jaboulet La Chapelle requires a decade or two to become civilized. The wines from the best years can age 30-40 years.
One of the reasons for the continued improvement of Jaboulet La Chapelle is the draconian selection for the wine. Previously, up to 7,000 cases of wine were produced. But today, the average annual production is closer to 2,000 cases per vintage of Jaboulet La Chapelle.