La Chapelle, Hermitage 2004

While chapels are dime a dozen in France, for wine drinkers worldwide, La Chapelle refers to the structure belonging to the Jaboulet family in Hermitage built by the 13th century crusader, Henri-Gaspard de Sterimberg. While the original chapel did not withstand the vicissitude of time, the current St Christopher chapel is the namesake for La Chapelle, formally known as Paul Jaboulet-Aine Hermitage La Chapelle, a dry red wine that dreams are made of.




The 1990 La Chapelle, a perfect 100 point according to Robert Parker, is beautiful, continuously evolving, and structured without being austere; this is a wine that can help you appreciate why some are worth the zeros behind them. Ironic bit number one, although the Jaboulet family produces La Chapelle, the wine, and owns La Chapelle, the structure, the Les Bessards vineyards immediately surrounding the chapel are owned by a rival winemaking family, Chapoutier. Ironic bit number two, La Chapelle uses mostly syrah grapes not from vineyards of Les Bessards but La Meal. So, if you throw in the Valrhona shop where patrons are encouraged to sample mountains of chocolate bonbons, there is no excuse for not visiting the town of Hermitage.

Unless, of course, you get caught in traffic and it gets dark before you have arrived. A sad story.




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