Hermitage La Chapelle Jaboulet 1999

Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle 1999 is a mature Syrah from the hill of Hermitage in the northern Rhône valley. This cuvée is named after the tiny chapel which sits atop the hill of Hermitage overlooking the river Tain which runs through the valley. The chapel was purchased by the Jaboulet family in 1919 and has give then name to their iconic Hermitage red ever since. "Conventional wisdom has it that the late 1990s was a slump period at Paul Jaboulet Âiné, but there is nothing to be found in this lovely vintage of Hermitage `la Chapelle` that would validate this perception, as this is a beautiful bottle of Hermitage that exemplifies the excellence of 1999 in the northern Rhône. The bouquet is deep, complex and classic in profile, offering up a vibrant blend of cassis, black raspberries, smoked meats, dark soil tones, a hint of hay, pepper, a touch of fruitcake and a gentle top note of cigar smoke that will become more pronounced with further bottle age. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and just starting to stir, with an excellent core of fruit, lovely mineral drive and grip, moderate tannins and excellent length and grip on the complex and classy finish. This is first rate Hermitage that is just about ready to drink at age twenty, but has decades and decades still ahead of it." John Gilman, 2019