The La Chapelle 1978 is an astounding bottle of wine, here simply embarrassing the 1978 from Chave. It has a compelling bouquet with intense black fruits, garrigues, white pepper, fennel and thyme that just explodes from the glass. The palate is full-bodied and just “loaded”: Leviathan tannins, intense black, animally fruit, hints of star anise, thyme and Provencal herbs and yet still with elegance and panache. If this was a man it would be Richard Burton. Spellbinding...but it needs 2+ years. Tasted May 2011.

Robert Parker''s Wine Advocate 26/06/2000 Opaque plum/garnet-colored, with a fabulously sweet, youthful bouquet of licorice, incense, smoked meats, pepper, and blackberry/cassis fruit, the full-bodied 1978 La Chapelle is extremely young with astonishing vigor, velvety tannin, and a full-bodied, multi-dimensional, layered personality. The finish lasts for over 60 seconds. Remarkably fresh and not yet fully mature, the super-concentrated 1978 should continue to age well for another three decades. Anticipated maturity: now-2030 Opaque plum/garnet colouredm with a fabulously sweet, youthful bouquet of licquorice, incense, smoked meats, pepper, and blackberry/cassis fruit, the full bodied 1978 La Chapelle is extremely young with astonishing vigour, velvety tannins, and a full-bodied, multi-dimensional, layered personality. The finish lasts for over 60 seconds. Remarkably fresh and not yet fully mature, the super-concentrated 1978 should continue to age well for another 25 years. Anticipated maturity: Now-2030. (100)