Domaine de la Chapelle : La Chapelle 2017

Attractive on the nose, though there is just a touch of overripeness to the fruit. A rich and velvety style, easy-going with ripe, soft, pliable tannins. The acidity in contrast is quite marked. The tannins are a little drying and fibrous on the finish, but it's very long indeed. Feels quite earthbound at this stage. Will take a long time to come around, and I'm not sure whether it will ever really fly.

The icon is in dangerously seductive form. Such pristine dark cherries, blackberries and dark plums, dark chocolate, finely crushed spices and plenty of crushed dark stones on offer. The palate is very intense, very slick and fine tannins deliver an almost playfully soft impression. The oak is super integrated. Like La Maison Bleue, this approachability is an aberration, as it has immense power, concentration and length with such regal and alluring swagger at the finish. But there is so much more to come. Try from 2024, better after 2030.

Saturated violet color. Intensely perfumed ripe black/blue fruits, violet candy, exotic spices and smoky minerals show fine definition and lift. Juicy and focused on the palate, offering deeply concentrated yet lively black raspberry, boysenberry, floral pastille and spicecake flavors and a late touch of licorice. Finishes smooth, sappy and extremely long, with chewy tannins lending shape and grip to resonating dark berry and floral notes.

The 2017 Hermitage La Chapelle showed incredibly well and is a brilliant wine that's reminiscent of a richer, denser 2011. Loads of sun-kissed dark fruits, leather, graphite, and flowers, with ample spice and sandalwood nuances, give way to a full-bodied, pure, deep, multi-dimensional Hermitage that’s just about as good as it gets. The balance, length, and depth of this is something to behold, and while it unquestionably offers pleasure today, it has another 20-30 years of prime drinking ahead of it.

Tasted just before bottling. The most opulent and fleshy of the estate’s reds, with ultra-fine tannins and a velvety touch; it shows all the class of Le Méal without falling into the trap of alcoholic power, perfectly balanced thanks to a finish more in the Bessards style. Great persistence, great wine.

The 2017 Hermitage La Chapelle comes from the firm’s vineyards on the western half of the Hermitage slope, primarily Le Méal, with substantial contributions from Les Rocoules and Les Bessards. Classic notes of cassis, black olives, mocha, and roasted meat are joined by hints of baking spices in a wine that’s full-bodied, deep, dense, and rich, with a velvety texture and a lingering finish. It’s lower in alcohol than the 2018, less voluptuous and maybe just a step behind that monumental wine, but it’s still a serious collectible with three decades of evolution ahead of it.