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Hermitage La Chapelle 1990

Paul Jaboulet & Âiné, Rhône, France

Paul Jaboulet & Âiné
Rhône France
  • 98
    Points
  • The 463 best
    of 3 290 954
    wines globally
  • 36 Pros of
    36 recommend
    this wine
381 98
  • Taste
  • Moment

  • Country ranking ?

    390

  • Producer ranking ?

    9

  • Decanting time

    4h

  • When to drink

    now to 2050

  • Food Pairing

    Pork Roast with Sausage & Fruit and Nut Stuffing

The Tb points given to this wine are the world’s most valid and most up-to-date evaluation of the quality of the wine. Tastingbook points are formed by the Tastingbook algorithm which takes into account the wine ratings of the world's best-known professional wine critics, wine ratings by thousands of tastingbook’s professionals and users, the generally recognised vintage quality and reputation of the vineyard and winery. Wine needs at least five professional ratings to get the Tb score. Tastingbook.com is the world's largest wine information service which is an unbiased, non-commercial and free for everyone.

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100 points/ This is a vintage that produced four potentially perfect Hermitages. Chapoutier’s micro-cuvée called Le Pavillon, and both of Gérard Chave’s Hermitage cuvées (the regular bottling and the limited production Cuvée Cathelin), as well as Jaboulet’s La Chapelle, all flirt with perfection. Undoubtedly, the 1990 La Chapelle is the sexiest and most opulent of these wines. I had the 1990 at the Jaboulet tasting, and again out of a double m...

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The Story

In the heart of the Rhône Valley, this small chapel has become one of the world’s great historic buildings
La Chapelle, the jewel of Maison Jaboulet, has a rich and emotive history. 
During the 13th century, a knight called Gaspard de Sterimberg settled in the hills of Tain l’Hermitage with the permission of Blanche de Castille. On his return from the crusades, he sought calm and serenity and isolated himself as a hermit, hence the name of t...

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Wine Information

1990/ The summer drought continues until the 19th November. The first rains follow and bring the dried up rivers back to life. Cold weather and the first frosts from the 25th November to the 10th December, when the southerly wind brings a mild period with temperatures unusually high for the season.
A few violets are to be seen at the end of the year!


The cold returns on the 1st January and lasts throughout the month. A mild, rainy period...

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Average Bottle Price

2023 2020 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2005
710€ +6.0% 670€ +32.9% 504€ +0.6% 501€ -5.3% 529€ +7.1% 494€ -3.3% 511€ +14.8% 445€ +54.5% 288€

This data comes from the FINE Auction Index, a composite of average prices for wines sold at commercial auctions in 20 countries. The average prices from each year have been collected since 1990. This chart plots the index value of the average price of the wines.

Tasting note

color

Deep, Ruby red and Healthy

ending

Long, Extensive and Flavorful

flavors

Smoky, Blueberry, Blackberry, Licorice, Pepper and Tar

nose

Refined, Complex, Charming and Intense

recommend

Yes

taste

Average in Acidity, Warming, Medium tannin, Concentrated, Balanced, Perfectly balanced, Youthful, Full-bodied, Elegant, Refined, Round, Dry and Silky tannins

Verdict

Outstanding and Full-bodied

Written Notes

Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle 1990 / 97 points /A majestic wine and excellent vintage, comparable to the quality of 1961. This was extremely dry and hot summer followed by much favoured rainin August. The harvest took place in very good conditions and the results were superb. This wine could be listed as one of the flagships of the vintage.
Very intense,almost inky colour. Pronounced and complex nose is full of ripe dark fruits, black berries, blackcurrantsand blueberries. Very intense floral and spicy aromas shows smokiness, bacon, tar, liquorice,and lovely hints of violets. The palate is very intense and fleshy with supple but firm tannins and vivid acidity. The ripe intense fruitiness shares flavours of blueberries and blackberries. Lovely spiciness and tarflavours take hold on mid palate while bacon, liquorice and pepper notes will escort the long lingering finish. A big but astonishingly elegant wine that shares lovely drinkabilitynow but will keep wonderfully for decades still!

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  • 97p
We had a couple more Ganbeis revisiting some of the Bordeaux, then a couple of Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelles. The 1989 was a dirty birdie (92) and the 1990 was jammy, chewy, friendly and zippy, one of the better bottles of this that I have had recently (94).
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  • 94p

 One of the best bottles of this I have tasted in ages provides notes of flowers, spice, earth, kirsch, blueberry, and blackberry in the perfume. Lively, rich, intense, and dense, with layers of dark, ripe, powerful, vibrant, chewy red fruits, this is really in a good spot, and if well-stored, should get even better. Drink from 2023-2050.

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  • 99p

Ein Top Kandidat für die berühmte, eine Flasche, die man mit auf die einsame Insel nehmen darf, ist dieser 1990 Hermitage la Chapelle von Jaboulet Ainé, der Rockstar der Weinwelt. So jung, kraftvoll und wild mit einer Farbeschwarz wie Ägyptens Nächte, explosiv die Aromatik, süße, konzentrierte Cassis Frucht, so würzig mit viel Schwarzem Pfeffer, rauchig, fleischig, das dicke Steak vom Holzkohlengrill mit frischen Kräutern, viel Lakritz, dunkle Schokolade, so unglaublich präzise mit großartiger Länge und zupackende Tannine für sicher noch drei Dekaden, klar, das ist absolute Perfektion – WT100.

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  • 100p

Very deep crimson. Extraordinarily youthful-looking for a 1990! Smells very introvert yet sumptuous. Essence of old-ladies’ handbags. Solid and as though everything – but everything – was thrown into the fermentation vat. Still so young!!! This could be another 1961…? Very clean finish. Minty.

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  • 95p

Very deep crimson with violet hues. Captivating briary blackberry and mulberry aromatics lead to alluring exotic five spice, star anise and black peppercorn, with herbaceous notes of thyme and dried basil, supported by slight gamey hints. The palate has incredible length and purity, with a focussed core of blackberry and plum fruit, wrapped by beautifully integrated layers of silky tannins that linger endlessly with flavours of sage leaf and blackcurrant skin.

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  • 97p
Very rich and concentrated. Not as bombastic as the ’61 but with freshness and structure for a long life. A bit closed at the moment. Needs a couple of hours in the decanter.
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  • 95p
The wine with great potential. This bottle was showed as still closed. The nose was promising but the palate was somehow reserved. So, better keep it for another 10 years!
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  • 95p
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Information

Origin

Hermitage, Rhône

Vintage Quality

Outstanding

Value For Money

Very good

Investment potential

Good

Glass time

3h

Drinking temperature

16

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Côtes du Rhône Parallèle 45

Crozes-Hermitage Blanc " Domaine Mule Blanche

Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert

Crozes-Hermitage Les Jalets Blanc

Crozes-Hermitage Les Jalets Rouge

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Hermitage La Chapelle Blanc

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Saint-Joseph Domaine de la Croix des Vignes

Inside Information

Deep black crimson. Again, massive “legs” (I hardly ever see or write this). Wonderful fragrant, vivit healthy nose, slightly dormant at the moment. Extreme finesse of bouquet with a rosy bloom. One senses the enormous class. Dancing fruit on the palate. Not as massive as some, and I don’t think quite the ’61 character. More fruit and elegance. Sheer scent and perfume pervades it. Very blackberry finish. Finesse of tannins. Silky texture.'
SERENA SUTCLIFFE, MW 09/2000

'This is a vintage that produced four potentially perfect Hermitages. Chapoutier’s micro-cuvée called Le Pavillon, and both of Gérard Chave’s Hermitage cuvées (the regular bottling and the limited production Cuvée Cathelin), as well as Jaboulet’s La Chapelle, all flirt with perfection. Undoubtedly, the 1990 La Chapelle is the sexiest and most opulent of these wines. I had the 1990 at the Jaboulet tasting, and again out of a double magnum three months ago. On both occasions it was spectacular, clearly meriting a three-digit score. The modern day equivalent of the 1961, it deserves all the attention it has garnered. The color remains an opaque purple, with only a slight pink at the edge. Spectacular aromatics offer up aromas of incense, smoke, blackberry fruit, cassis, barbecue spice, coffee, and a touch of chocolate. As it sits in the glass, additional nuances of pepper and grilled steak emerge. There is extraordinary freshness for such a mammoth wine in addition to abundant tannin, an amazing 60-second finish, and a level of glycerin and thick, fleshy texture that have to be tasted to be believed. Despite its youthfulness, the 1990 La Chapelle is lovely to drink, although it will be even better with another 5-6 years of cellaring; it should age for 35-40+ years. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2050.
Looking at my original notes, I observed that the late Gérard Jaboulet told me that for this particular vintage they increased the percentage of new oak to 50% (versus the 20-25% normally used), and that the maceration period was an amazing 44 days.' (100)
ROBERT PARKER’S – WINE ADVOCATE 06/2000

'Splendid colour. Still back at the rim. Full, rich, concentrated, opulent profound nose. Not too adolescent but it still has a way to go. There is really a huge of wine here. Very full and substantial, yet not a bit too muscular. Rich and abundant. Finely balanced with very good ripe acidity. Full of raspberry and blackcurrant. The finish is already very sweet. A big wine of splendid potential, which will be very silky and complex. Very brilliant! But it needs time.'
THE VINE CLIVE COATES, MW 12/1999

'As expected from this ideal vintage, this '90 is sensational. Inky in color and solidly anchored in its terroir, it springs to life with a symphony of flavors, from mineral to wet earth and blackberry. Marvelous balance among fruit, acidity and smooth tannins. Drink now through 2025.' (97)
WINE SPECTATOR 12/1999

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