1989 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle Hermitage Rhône France Wine Tasting Note

A big blast of peppery red fruits, herbs, green leafy herbs black and green olives, and spice with crunchy red berries, the wine is big, intense, full-bodied, long and complex. It is close to fully-mature, which could take another 3-5 years, where it should remain for at least another 2 decades with ease.

4,141 Views   Tasted Dec 8, 2021

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It took 30 years, but it was worth the wait if you were a patient collector. The wine has filled out, softened, added aromatic complexities and length. Now you find olives, pepper, rocks, stones, herbs and earthy stony, peppery red fruits on the nose and palate. After 3 decades in the bottle, the wine has expanded, giving you a richly textured, concentrated palate filled with ripe, bright red fruits. This is really in the zone today where it should remain effortlessly for at least 2 or more decades if well-stored.

As this continues edging closer to its 30th birthday, the wine clearly prove that things do get better with age, especially this wine! I am thinking the wine deserves an upgrade as the massive amount of ripe, mineral driven fruit is there, the texture continues to refine, the once hard tannins keep melting away even though the masculine edge is still there, the complex nose is also showing its stuff. When you add all that up, at this point, what are you waiting for? Open a bottle of this stunner and enjoy the ride! An hour or so of air is also helpful to the experience.

It took long enough, but this once firm, austere, tannic beast has really filled out, the tannins have softened and the complexities of a mature Hermitage is really starting to show its stuff. I am thinking this could get even better too!

This is the second time this year I've been impressed by this wine. The tannins are really starting to resolve, the wine is dropping its former rustic character and is offering a lot more pleasure. Decanting really helps.

It took long enough. At 25 years of age, this is finally becoming civilized. The beautiful ripe fruits made a bigger impression than the massive wall of beefy tannins. With 30 minutes of air, (60 would have been better) the wine softened, the aromatics opened and it was truly a treat. Still young, it's worth opening now. But another 5 years will add more to the wine.

Young, tannic, rustic, masculine and very old school in style, the wine demands another 5 years before it softens and comes together. I have faith, but as the wine and I both age, I am becoming a little bit concerned that this might not lose its brawny character.

Garnet in color, with a smoky, mineral, spicy cherry, iron and strawberry jam perfume. Full bodied and still tannic, with a stern, structured spine, I’d give this another 3-5 years in the cellar.

This amazingly young wine, that is young for 22 years of age is tannic, slightly rustic and powerful. Black cherry, kirsch, spice, crushed stone, strawberry jam, meat and pepper scents waft form the glass. Big, concentrated and attention grabbing, this is finally starting to come around. Give it a few more years and enjoy it over the next 20 or more years.

Black pepper, jammy, dark fruit, earth, spearmint, licorice and coffee could be easily found. Still tannic. Very well balanced and concentrated.

Layers of rich, ripe, black fruit, minerals, truffle and tobacco with a hint of tar. Big, bold, structured and tannic. The long finish ends with notes of juicy, black fruit and spice.

Tight, displaying more red fruit than black, along with earth, stone and peppery spice aromas. With a brawny palate feel, the wine is brighter and more acidic than the 1990 tasted at the same dinner. This wine demands another decade before prime time drinking.

This is a huge, deep, dense, very full bodied wine with boatloads of ripe, concentrated black fruit and a slight rustic quality. Very tannic. Demands time.

Dark colored, tannic and full of black fruits and character. Even though I’ve had better bottles, this is still a very good wine.

Very deep, dark, ruby almost opaque with a faint, lightening at the edge. The fragrant aroma offers notes of black cherries, herbs, olives, earth, licorice, coffee, and hint of sap with a touch of caramelized brown sugar on the nose as well. This wine vastly improved with air.