Domaine de la Chapelle : La Chapelle Paul Jaboulet-Aîné 2004

Also blended by the new winemaker, Caroline Frey, the 2004 Hermitage la Chapelle offers plenty of spice, currants, sweet cherry, leather and a hint of mint in its medium-bodied, elegant, soft and approachable style. Drink up.

Shows prominent herb and tobacco notes, but has the density of fruit for balance, with fleshy layers of black currant and raspberry. The dark, ripe finish shows graphite and licorice notes, with solid grip. Drink now through 2015. 800 cases imported.

Slightly amber color with blackberry, dried meat and coffee. Red bean, too. This is full-bodied and spicy with a cedar, tobacco and chocolate character. Drink now.

Mainly Bessards and Méal – 7-8,000 cases a year. This was the last year of the Jaboulet family's being in charge. Quite a cool year. Lightest crimson of the three 2004s. Rather loose nose though the stern, ripe Syrah starts to shine through. Nicely round and gentle on the palate but pretty light for an Hermitage! Dry finish – certainly not scrawny. There's a real persistence there. Nice balance and a very good effort without being outstanding, (JR)

Ruby-red. Intense spice and floral notes lift the deep cassis, dark cherry and cured tobacco aromas. Wild, gamey and sweet, with deep flavors of blackberry and blackcurrant fruit, bitter licorice root and espresso framed by strong tannins. A solidly built if rather brooding La Chapelle that will require plenty of patience. Give this a decade in the cellar, at least.

The 2004 Hermitage La Chapelle showed nicely, with the more medium-bodied, higher acid style of the vintage, yet it still has good sweetness of fruit, supple tannins, and lots of classic Northern Rhône character. Mature currant fruits, some sappy, peppery, meaty, subtly gamey notes as well as that textbook La Chapelle hint of soy all show on the nose, and it's medium-bodied, mid-weight, balanced, and elegant on the palate. It's a charmer, yet clearly a step up from the 1998, 1999, and 2000.

A delicious expression, already mellowed by time, from old Syrah vines on Hermitage’s magnificent terroirs. Tertiary notes (black truffle, forest floor) accompany the fruit (blackberry, blackcurrant, black cherry) and spices. The wine is superb, multi-dimensional and long.