On offer today in our Sunday sale release is a winery which is known the world over. Founded in 1834 by Antoine Jaboulet, the Jaboulet Aine brand quickly established itself as a producer of exceptional quality syrah based wines, and a beacon for the quality that the Northern Rhone possesses. The Flagship wine of the estate is the Hermitage La Chapelle, named after the small Saint Christophe chapel that overlooks the vineyards on top of Hermitage hill. The place itself is steeped in historical heritage stemming all the way back to the Albigensian Crusades. As the legend goes, a knight named Gaspard de Stérimberg returned home wounded in 1224 from the crusades and was granted permission to build a small shelter to recover in on the hill, where he remained living as a hermit. And so began the name of Hermitage. The syrah from this hill is unquestionably the greatest expression of the varietal that exists, and stands alone in its ability to convey regal savoriness, blue florals, and multispectrum fruit.
Jaboulet and a few other names are in a class of their own when it comes to the wines of this magical terroir. No other producers have come remotely close in matching the legacies they’ve created and the incredibly ageworthy wines they’ve produced. The 1961 Jaboulet La Chapelle is perhaps one of the greatest bottles of wine to EVER be created. Those that have tasted it speak of an experience which will never be repeated and will haunt them ceaselessly. We’ve got 4 vintages of the Chapelle on offer for you today, all with fantastic pedigree and in a true lineage starting with the 2016. What I can tell you is that while you may never acquire a bottle of the 1961 ($17,000 anyone?), you can drink wine made from the same vines with quite possibly the same potential for a mere fraction of the price. Every single vintage of the Chapelle is an experience unto its own and not to be missed.
Frankly, these wines are a steal considering what top examples of other mainstay varieties can go for these days. We’ve all been burned by the Burgundy crisis, but fortunately Hermitage syrah is still a luxury product that is within reach of indulgence. Indulge and don’t miss this opportunity before it’s gone!
Buy any 6+ bottles for a 10% discount
Discounts will be applied after orders are received.
Offer ends on Wednesday May 22nd at 9AM PST
Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Petite Chapelle – La Maison Bleue 2019 750ml $59 special, 17 bottles available
Wine Advocate 94-96 points “Even richer, darker and more powerful than the 2018 version, the 2019 Hermitage La Maison Bleue offers up some lifted, minty notes to accent its potent cassis fruit. Dark, dense, and Port-like without being overly heavy or dense, this full-bodied effort is long, intense and concentrated, with softly dusty tannins on the finish.”
Jeb Dunnuck 94-96 points “Beautiful cassis, truffle, damp earth, and ground pepper emerge from the 2019 Hermitage La Maison Bleue. Coming from the eastern portion of Hermitage Hill, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a rounded, opulent texture, building tannins, and a great finish. It’s certainly in the same league (and style) as the 2018, and while it’s going to drink nicely at a young age, my money is on it evolving gracefully for 20-25 years.”
Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2016 750ml $225 special, 4 bottles available
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “The 2016 Hermitage La Chapelle is slightly denser than the 2017 and is a bigger, richer, more structured wine than the La Maison Bleue. Crème de cassis, blackberries, crushed rocks, ozone, scorched earth, and violet notes all emerge from this beautifully classic, elegant, seamless wine that carries full-bodied richness, building tannins, and a big finish, all while staying in the classic, elegant, balanced style of the vintage. It has plenty of tannins and is a quintessential La Chapelle that will have three decades of longevity.”
James Suckling 97-98 points “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.”
Vinous 96-98 points “(raised in 20% new oak) Dark purple. A highly expressive, mineral-accented bouquet evokes fresh blackberry and blueberry, candied flowers, incense and exotic spices. Sweet, palate-staining black and blue fruit liqueur and violet pastille flavors are complicated by suggestions of cracked pepper and bitter chocolate; a spicecake nuance gains strength with aeration. Steadily building tannins add shape and grip to the extremely long, incisive finish, which emphatically repeats the floral and mineral notes. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this wine turn out as well as the amazing 2015 version.”
Wine Advocate 96 points “Sourced from the granitic western portion of the appellation, the 2016 Hermitage La Chapelle features mouthwatering aromas of black olives and charred beef. It’s full-bodied and creamy-velvety in texture, incredibly lush without being overtly fruity. In fact, it’s largely savory, with elegant shadings of leather and spice on the long, silky finish. Yet despite being delicious now, this still has the granite backbone to age through 2040.-JC”
Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2017 750ml $189 special, 25 bottles available
Wine Advocate 98 points “The 2017 Hermitage La Chapelle comes from the firm’s vineyards on the western half of the Hermitage slope, primarily Le Méal, but with substantial contributions from Les Rocoules and Les Bessards. Classic notes of cassis, black olives, mocha and roasted meat are joined by hints of baking spices in a wine that’s full-bodied, deep, dense and rich, with a velvety texture and a lingering finish. It’s lower in alcohol than the 2018, less voluptuous and maybe just a step behind that monumental wine, but it’s still a serious collectible with three decades of evolution ahead of it.-JC”
James Suckling 98 points “The icon is in dangerously seductive form. Such pristine dark cherries, blackberries and dark plums, dark chocolate, finely crushed spices and plenty of crushed dark stones on offer. The palate is very intense, very slick and fine tannins deliver an almost playfully soft impression. The oak is super integrated. Like La Maison Bleue, this approachability is an aberration, as it has immense power, concentration and length with such regal and alluring swagger at the finish. But there is so much more to come. Try from 2024, better after 2030.”
Vinous 95 points “Saturated violet color. Intensely perfumed ripe black/blue fruits, violet candy, exotic spices and smoky minerals show fine definition and lift. Juicy and focused on the palate, offering deeply concentrated yet lively black raspberry, boysenberry, floral pastille and spicecake flavors and a late touch of licorice. Finishes smooth, sappy and extremely long, with chewy tannins lending shape and grip to resonating dark berry and floral notes.”
Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2018 750ml $189 special, 5 bottles available
Wine Advocate 98+ points “The beautifully proportioned 2018 Hermitage La Chapelle comes across as a complex, complete version of this renowned bottling, with no rough edges—just moderate spice, cassis, red berries and cedar on the nose. It’s medium to full-bodied, silky and fine, brimming with harmony and elegance on the palate, while the finish is long, echoing with cassis, charcoal and crushed stone. The tannins firm up a bit on the finish, so I suspect this will close down soon, then blossom sometime after 2025.”
Jeb Dunnuck #2 Wine of the Year 98+ points “As I wrote last year from barrel, the 2018 Hermitage La Chapelle is a backward, primordial Hermitage built for the ages. Incredible crème de cassis, blueberries, scorched earth, burning embers, and liquid violet-like aromas and flavors dominate the bouquet, and this beauty is full-bodied, concentrated, and powerful on the palate. With just hints of the smoky, meaty, beefy character that emerges from all aged examples of this cuvée, it has incredible tannins, perfect balance, and a monster of a finish. Don’t think about touching bottles for at least 7-8 years, and it’s going to keep for 50 years or more.”
Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2019 750ml $199 special, 36+ bottles available
Wine Advocate 98-100 points “Might this be the next vintage of La Chapelle to crack triple digits? Knockout aromas of crushed stone, violets, blueberries, and cassis mark the nose of the 2019 Hermitage La Chapelle, while the full-bodied palate is undeniably more intense and powerful than the more elegant 2018. Rich and velvety, it coats the mouth with dark fruit and creamy-textured espresso, yet retains remarkable length and licorice-derived peppery freshness on the finish. Wow!”
Jeb Dunnuck 97 points “Showing even better than when I tasted it last year, the 2019 Hermitage La Chapelle is another ripe, powerful, sexy, and full-bodied example of this cuvée that brings classic La Chapelle gamey darker fruits as well as smoked meats, chocolate, sandalwood, and peppery spice. Full-bodied on the palate, it has good concentration, lots of ripeness, polished tannins, and a great, great finish. As with the 2018, it’s opened up beautifully on the palate since I tasted it at the domaine and is a ripe, expansive, pure, beautiful Hermitage.”