Featured Tasting: Jaboulet (including two vintages of La Chapelle)
Summergate hosted Christophe Brunet of famed producers Paul Jaboulet Aîné and Château La Lagune, now jointly owned and managed by the Frey family. Caroline Frey is winemaker at both properties (at La Lagune, Denis Dubourdieu, her former professor, is also a consultant). But this tasting focused solely on the Jaboulet wines – La Lagune having already been a presence at the Union des Grand Crus visit to
Christophe Brunet explained the current innovations the Frey family is instituting at Jaboulet. The main idea is to refine the quality of the Hermitage La Chapelle and limit its production. To put this in perspective, Brunet pointed out that in the 1990 vintage 100,000 bottles of red La Chapelle were made compared with some 30,000 bottles in 2005. A ‘second wine’, La Petite Chapelle, will shortly be released and may well represent good value, particularly as La Chapelle has now become a costly collectors’ item.
2006 also saw the re-launch of a white La Chapelle (Jaboulet had previously stopped making its top white Hermitage in 1961). This wine is a 100% Marsanne and, judging by how well the 2001 Chevalier de Sterimberg showed - see below - will be one to watch.
We tasted the following wines:
2004 Parallèle 45 Côtes du Rhône White, JabouletAppearance: dark yellow green.
Nose: noticeable pear fruit with some waxy aromas.
Palate: strong pear fruit, more waxy flavours, nice acidity though too. Has kept quite well.
Conclusion: made from a blend of Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne and Bourboulenc, this is impressive at its level and a nice expression of white Côtes du Rhône.
Rating: 16.5/20
2001 Le Chevalier de Sterimberg Hermitage (Blanc), Jaboulet
Appearance: dark yellow green.
Nose: complex pear fruit with nutty aromas, wax and butterscotch. Developed nose but will still probably age happily enough.
Palate: rich mouth-feel with mellowed pear fruit, toffee and butterscotch flavours and considerable length.
Conclusion: a wonderful example of aged white Hermitage, something of a rarity and thankfully relatively undiscovered in the wine world (it’s certainly not popular in fine wine markets). Still has some life ahead but drinking beautifully now.
Rating: 18.5/20
2005 Parallèle 45 Côtes du Rhône (Rouge), Jaboulet
Appearance: medium purple-red.
Nose: light red berry fruits, slight white pepper from the Grenache and some darker fruit coming through from the Syrah here. Attractive.
Palate: light chewy tannins, nice fruit, lively acidity; well put together with quite good length.
Conclusion: a decent wine at its level. Dependable stuff.
Rating: 16.5/20
2005 Les Cedres Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Jaboulet
Appearance: medium purple-red, slight orange rim.
Nose: mix of red and black fruits with some characteristic Châteauneuf spice (Grenache-dominated). Oak is non-intrusive.
Palate: chewy medium tannins, medium-high acidity and with good length, the wine does not show much oak and is largely fruit-driven.
Conclusion: a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Mourvèdre, this is a reliable Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It’s not going to excite in the same way that wines from single domaines in the region can, but it’s a decent expression.
Rating: 17.5/20
1988 Hermitage La Chapelle, Jaboulet
Appearance: medium purple-red, with very marked orange rim.
Nose: decaying black and red fruits with a distinct meaty nose that later shows leaves, mushrooms and other secondary aromas. Very complex.
Palate: lovely mature palate with mellowed fruit, meaty and mushroomy flavours, softened medium grainy tannins, good acidity and superb length. Unfiltered, its throws a sediment that we recommend eating! The flavours are heavenly and show what aged Syrah at this level is all about.
Conclusion: clearly a very fine wine. Collectors will debate whether the 1988 vintage is the best La Chapelle, but here’s a wine to enjoy now that seems to be at its peak and in fine condition.
Rating: 19/20
2001 Hermitage La Chapelle, Jaboulet
Appearance: darkish purple-red, already showing orange rim.
Nose: a bit closed at first, then showing complex dark fruits, corned beef, liquorice and some characteristic black pepper (a signature of cool-climate Syrah).
Palate: ripe medium-high chewy tannins, excellent acidity, integrated dark fruits, but a bit tight right now.
Conclusion: this will clearly be an excellent vintage of La Chapelle, but should be left alone at present. Very good, but try again in 2011 and thereafter.
Rating: 18.5/20 [but may be higher]
Labels: 1988, 2001, 2004, 2005, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Cotes du Rhone, Featured Tastings, France, Hermitage, Jaboulet, La Chapelle, La Lagune, red, Rhone, sweet white
posted by Wine Phoenix
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