1985 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle
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Tasting notes
Two bottles tasted but my score is for the second bottle, which I thought was showing slightly better at this point and on this day. First bottle From Richard Mayson's cellar (Wine Society bottling) Browny red. Smoked meat and mocha notes. Really savoury combined with decadent decayed fruit. Firm and chewy. Acid and tannins clash a little on the finish. It's still a big wine but drying out. Second bottle From Kate Dugdale's cellar Gentler and more succulent on the palate and with a lovely peppery bite to the undergrowth flavours and aromas. But it's fading. (JH)
Critic scores
Jeb Dunnuck
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
Thank heavens – a real fulfilment of expectation on the nose – gravy, granite, dark chocolate, black cherry, smoke, toast, bacon fat. It is the definition of Hermitage – very, very good indeed. Still drinking now but could easily age for another ten years, it feels. (RH)
I love the 1985 Hermitage La Chapelle, and readers looking for a fully mature, seamless Hermitage drinking at point can’t go wrong here. Ruby/plum-colored, with complex notes of dried herbs, smoked meats, Asian spices, and assorted mature fruits all flow to a medium to full-bodied Hermitage that has beautiful overall balance, a seamless texture, and a great finish. Purity, focus, and elegance are the buzzwords here. Drink ‘em if you have ‘em.
One of the more finesse driven wines in the vertical, the 1985 Hermitage la Chapelle offered beautiful, complex notes of coffee beans, dried meats, potpourri and mint to go with a full-bodied, elegant and seamless feel on the palate. Following on the heels of the monster-sized '89, it still stood out for its purity, fine tannin and length on the finish. It's a beautiful wine drinking at point.