1961 Hermitage La Chapelle

The 1961 Hermitage La Chapelle is such an incredible tasting experience as well as an education in what true greatness in wine is. Now at close to 50 years of age, it reveals a mature plum color as well as a mammoth-sized bouquet of smoked black fruits, soy, roasted coffee, cured meats, and earth that develops with time in the glass. Thick, unctuous, opulent, and almost over the top on the palate, it’s a massive wine I imagine was difficult to understand on release yet has aged into what can be thought of as the pure essence of the Le Méal lieu-dit on Hermitage Hill. It’s going to continue evolving nicely for another half a century, but it’s not going to get better, and this is a case where the risks of holding bottles outweigh any benefits to additional aging.

Of the three benchmark la Chapelles ('90, '78 and '61), the 1961 Hermitage la Chapelle is the largest, most massive and over-the-top of the trio. Offering a stunning - literally off the charts - bouquet of truffles, soy sauce, smoked meats, coffee bean and wood smoke, it is the absolute essence of this cuvee and of the magical, south-facing Hermitage Hill from where it comes. Thick, unctuous and massive on the palate, I can only imagine what this beast of a wine must have tasted like in its youth. I also wish every winemaker/person who comments about a wine being too big, too rich, or too over-the-top could have a glass of this elixir. It's certainly fully mature, yet it still amazingly has sweet tannin and no shortage of fruit or texture. Given its mid-palate density, it will most likely be a 100-year wine. Still, why wait?

Quite stunning. And to have such a famous wine at such an age still in the prime of life was an enormous treat. This was a bottle from the late Bill Baker's personal cellar apparently. Very dark ruby – amazing colour in a wine more than half a century old! Very meaty, round and juicy with, still, fresh  tobacco leaf aromas. It's actually rather bordeaux-like in its concentration and build but is much sweeter and richer than most claret. Long, rich, intriguing and perfect. Wonderful persistence. No sign of fading at all. I keep moving the drinking dates every time I am lucky enough to taste this great wine!  (JR)