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Wine Description
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 the Hermitage appellation. There he built a Chapel, overlooking the Rhône Valley.
La Chapelle endured the passage of time and finally became the property of Maison Paul Jaboulet Aîné in 1919.
Hermitage “La Chapelle” is a blend of terroirs, including the prestigious hillsides of Méal and Bessards. Each one provides its own aromatic characteristics, as well as an elegant tannin structure, giving the wine great ageing potential.
Since the legendary 1961 vintage, which was classed as one of the Twelve mythical wines of the 20th century, Hermitage “la Chapelle” has become one of the world’s most sought-after wines.
Its fame has led Maison Paul Jaboulet Aîné to revive a historical tradition by producing a few bottles of 2006 “la Chapelle” white wine.
The diversity of “terroirs” on these lands gives our wine an identity of its own, thanks to the blending of grapes from different plots.
Soil:
The Syrah vines are planted in rich and varied soils with very diverse terroirs (les Bessards, les Greffieux, le Méal and les Rocoules).
It is the richness of these different terroirs that provides our Hermitage La Chapelle with its complexity.
Grape Variety:
Very old Syrah vines; goblet pruning on stakes.
Age of the vines:
40 to 60 years.
Vinification:
Grapes are brought down from the slopes of l’Hermitage on small sledges, after which they are sorted by hand and vinified traditionally in our wineries
Final blending is carried out during the ageing process and is done through judicious selection from the different terroirs of l’Hermitage.
Ageing:
La Chapelle is aged in wood in our ancient “VINEUM” cellar for 15 to 18 months. During this process the wines are also racked.
Yield:
Low yields of 10 to 18 hl/ha.
Wine Information
The 1999 vintage will undoubtedly figure amongst the finest wines of the last two decades.
After flowering a week earlier than in 1998, and under very favourable conditions, the vines suffered climatic conditions during the summer period which necessitated a fight against oïdium.
July was marked by a dry period during the first and last ten days of the month. The only significant rainfall was during the night of the 5th-6th. Temperatures were higher than average for the time of year, with maximum temperatures around 34 à 35°.
The wind was predominantly northerly during this period.
August was stormy during the second fortnight, then a dry period set in, punctuated by several storms of little consequence. The higher-than-normal temperatures of early August dropped under the influence of the Mistral (northerly wind).
September had very high temperatures (32°c) from the 10th to the 15th and went out with a heavy storm on the 25th. The health and quality of the grapes were such that the storm of the 25th had no impact on the quality of the harvest. This began on the 14th September with the Crozes 'Mule Blanche', followed by the whites of the 'Domaine Roure', and finished with the Hermitage 'Chevalier de Stérimberg'. The harvesters, stooped over branches weighed down with golden grapes, had perfect climatic conditions.
Once the harvest of the white grapes was completed, we continued with the red. This year, to go further in the elimination of all traces of water, we tried drying the vegetation by helicopter, as is done in Burgundy or in the Sauternes region. The trial was very conclusive in as far as the number of degrees obtained in the vat. The generous harvest (though curbed a little by early season work on the vines) gives us a foretaste of the very good quality of our wines, with a rich, full body present in force in our whites. The red wines, like the whites, have been conferred a good acid-alcohol balance and the very first tastings from the vats have given a foresight of red wines with an intensity of colour perhaps never before seen.
I feel that the 1999 vintage, both red and white, has rewarded the producer for all his labours throughout the year.
The 1999 vintage is characterised by a paradox : exceptional quantity and quality!!! In spite of all the work carried out in the vineyards (heavy pruning, 'green' harvesting, thinning), even on the old vines up on the higher slopes, the 1999 production was very high. This has given the wines a great richness of complexity and density. The white wines were difficult to press and the yield of juice was quite low. They enjoy a nice acidity and they are 'fatty' in the mouth. The red wines underwent a very long maceration and are thus well-coloured, substantial wines. The well-dispersed, but strong tannins endow the wine with a great potential for keeping.