2007 Hermitage La Chapelle

From The Wine Society's cellar. The Frey family arrived at Jaboulet in 2006 but Jean-Jacques Frey insisted that 2005 be racked into casks from Château Lagune (their Bordeaux property). 2006 was still made by Laurent Jaboulet and this is the first vintage made by Caroline Frey, who started off with a lot of new oak, using bordeaux barrels. Eventually, according to long-time Rhône buyer for The Wine Society, Marcel Orford-Williams, she was told by two eminent local winegrowers that these wines do not work in bordeaux barrels, so they started buying barrels from Burgundy (where the Freys own Corton-Grancey). Magnum, new label. Deep garnet. Oaky aroma with a touch of vanilla. Overwhelmed by new-oak sweetness. No real sense of place. Chewy, spicy black fruit. (JH)

The 2007 Hermitage La Chapelle is another mature, charming, utterly delicious vintage for this cuvée, although it’s certain far behind the truly great examples. Ruby/plum-hued, with classic red and black fruits, dried herbs, cured meats, and hints of soy and licorice, it's mid-weight and medium-bodied, with good sweetness of fruit yet a subtle hole in its mid-palate. It's best enjoyed over the coming 7-8 years or so.

Frey's first vintage with full control, the ruby-colored 2007 Hermitage la Chapelle offers a forward, supple and sexy feel to go with plenty of cassis, black raspberry, jam-covered toast, honeysuckle and vanilla bean. Medium to full-bodied, open knit and ready to go, it shows the charming nature of the vintage and should be drunk up over the coming decade or so. Comparing the 2006 and 2007 to subsequent vintages where Frey had more and more control over the farming are night and day.