Paul Jaboulet Aine 2017 Hermitage, La Chapelle

Hermitage La Chapelle is the crown jewel of Paul Jaboulet Ainé and a legend of this famous appellation. Since the legendary 1961 vintage, which was classed as one of the Twelve mythical wines of the 20th century, Hermitage "la Chapelle" has become one of the world's most sought-after wines. Contrary to popular belief grapes for La Chapelle are not sourced from a single parcel. Rather it is a masterful blend of the divers terroirs of Les Bessards, Les Greffeux, Le Méal and Les Rocoules. The varied richness of these assorted parcels join together to create a wine of incredible complexity and longevity. 100% Syrah grapes are handpicked and brought to the base of the hill in small sleds. The selected grapes undergo a strict sorting prior to vinification. Each parcel is vinified separately and aged for 15-to-18 months or more in the cellars of the domaine. Once the final blend is chosen, the wine receives additional time in barrel and is then aged in bottle prior to release to the market.

The Wine Advocate from barrel scored this 97-99 saying "In need of serious air to open up, the 2017 Hermitage La Chapelle became more and more impressive the longer I kept it in the glass. At first it seemed a bit simple, if admirably plummy and rich, but by the time ten minutes had elapsed, it was showing off elegant notes of crushed stone, pencil shavings and cassis, while remaining full-bodied, rich and concentrated. It's velvety and long on the finish, but something left me wanting a bit more. It's surely a great La Chapelle, but will it reach that elusive triple-digit score?"

Jeb Dunnuck scored this 99 points saying "Reminding me of the 2009 La Chapelle (which is a personal favorite), the brilliant 2017 Hermitage La Chapelle knocks it out of the park with its massive, opulent personality. Notes of smoked black fruits, scorched earth, burning embers, and graphite as well as subtle background meatiness flow to a monster of a Hermitage that has full-bodied richness, incredible depth of fruit, and an overwhelming, sexy style that’s already impossible to resist. Do your best to hide bottles for 4-5 years, but it’s going to evolve for 40 years or more. There are roughly 2,000 cases of this elixir, and every Syrah lover out there should have a bottle (or more) in their cellar."