2003 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle
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Tasting notes
Revisiting this hot vintage after a few decades is always interesting, and as you might expect with the location of La Chapelle, with its wind-strewn slopes and altitude of 400m, it has retained freshness. Majoring on cumin, cinnamon, soy on the opening beats, this is rippling with silky tannins, red liquorice, still feels young, with cranberry fruits giving lift alongside the spiced blackberry, incense, graphite, liquorice, good lift on the finish. Jaboulet family owners.
Critic scores
Jeb Dunnuck
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2003 Hermitage La Chapelle shows the warmth of the vintage, not in its alcohol, but in its sweet aromatics of plums, black olives, peppered beef, sandalwood, tapenade, and sweet earth-like aromas and flavors. There's certain a kiss of surmaturity here, but the wine is beautifully balanced, medium to full-bodied, has nicely integrated tannins, and a clean, classic Hermitage mineral-laced finish. Fully mature, it has another two decades of longevity, although it's certainly at peak and not getting better.
Tasted blind. Pale ruby. Sweet and slightly cooked on the nose. Tired. Lacks a bit of freshness and nerve. Is this the Jaboulet? Light, lacks freshness and is already drying out. (JR)