Domaine de la Chapelle : La Chapelle Paul Jaboulet-Aîné 2015

Immediately showing plenty of dark fruit, it edges towards overripeness but doesn't quite go that far. There's also a degree of meatiness to the aromatics. Full-bodied, with a really sunny feel, you sense the heat of the vintage and the alcohol feels a little raised. With fine tannins, it will be ready relatively soon and is unlikely to age as long as the 2016. Quite thick, leathery and lush tannins, all very ripe, and plenty of them - this cries out for red meat in quantity.

A majestic and brooding nose with dark stone fruits, wet black stones, pepper and brown spices as well as some dark chocolate and meaty notes, and fresh truffle-like earthiness, too. The palate draws deep and even with effortless power. Seamless. Extremely focused and long fine tannins. Hints of high cocoa chocolate. The acidity is stunning. This is flawless Hermitage. Drink 2023 and beyond.

Bright purple. Explosive, smoke- and spice-accented blueberry, cherry cola, incense and smoky mineral aromas show outstanding delineation and pick up a hint of olive with aeration. Sweet and expansive on the palate, offering deeply concentrated dark berry liqueur, fruitcake and floral pastille flavors, along with a suggestion of star anise. The remarkably long, penetrating finish features strong minerally cut, an echo of sweet blue fruit and harmonious tannins that come in late and fold effortlessly into the deeply concentrated fruit. At this stage, this is a contender for the wine of the vintage, at least by estimation.

So inky and unfathomably profound in shade, this wine may stain your stemware as well as your palate with its caliginous hue. With a decanter filled with crème de cassis, this full bodied, concentrated dream liquid fills your mouth and coats your palate while mesmerizing your senses for at least 60 seconds. The fruit bestows purity, intensity, length and precision. In its youth, it's intellectual; when it matures, it will be a hedonistic coup d’état. Is this the best vintage since 1990 or perhaps 1978? Yes! This is off the charts. If you you have the money, this is a wine to lay down. Once other people begin tasting this wine, and word gets out, it is only going to become more expensive.

Pure perfection in red wine, and as good a La Chapelle as has ever been made, the 2015 Hermitage La Chapelle reveals a deep, inky purple color as well as a mammoth-sized bouquet of black and blue fruits, liquid rock-like minerality, smoked game, ground pepper, and iron. Reminding me of the 1978 with its rare mix of power and elegance, this brilliant, sensational Hermitage already offers pleasure and will evolve for another 30-40 years.

Jaboulet’s “Hermitage La Chapelle” is one of the world’s finest Syrahs and has long been an icon. Drinking it this young did hurt at first, but the pain faded very quickly. You need to stock up fast, because this wine is simply superb. Deep dark red with a dense core and a violet rim. An unbelievably profound yet intensely spicy nose, where dark blackberries mingle with salty olive tapenade, leather, licorice, lavender, and dried flowers. In my head it goes ding-dong—that always happens when the 20-point mark gets triggered. On the palate, great complexity and depth, a noble silkiness with finely polished tannins, immense mineral drive with the finest minerality and veins of acidity running through the powerful body. Truly grand Syrah cinema that will hold for a good three decades, as the recently tasted 1997 and, a few months ago, the legendary 1990 showed. 19.5/20