It will be thrilling to follow the 2009 and 2010 la Chapelles over the coming 40-50 years. Much more sexy, voluptuous and layered than the 2010, the 2009 Hermitage la Chapelle offers sensational levels of extract and concentration to go with notes of cassis, black raspberries, coffee bean, toasted bread and sweet spice. Beautifully pure, layered, and yet massively endowed, with sweet tannin, it will be drinkable at an earlier age than the 2010, but I suspect will be just as long lived. It's a true tour de force in Hermitage! Drink Date 2020-2059.

Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate (September 2015)

As I wrote last year, the 2009 Hermitage La Chapelle is easily the greatest, most profound La Chapelle since the 1990. Most of this cuvee comes from Le Meal and Les Bessards vineyards, with a touch of Les Roucoules fruit in the blend. It is an opaque purple-colored wine with enormous concentration in addition to an extraordinary bouquet of graphite, creme de cassis, blackberries, licorice, beef blood and a touch of smoked game. Boasting phenomenal intensity, a full-bodied mouthfeel and 50 years of longevity, the only thing that could possibly hold it back is that most consumers should plan on laying it away for 8-10 years.

One needs no further evidence of the extraordinary turn around in the quality of the Jaboulet wines than what proprietress Caroline Frey has accomplished in 2009 as well as 2010. As I indicated last year, this is one of the great qualitative turn arounds in the wine world. It is welcomed by all wine lovers given the historic legacy of the wines of Jaboulet and the importance of this famous firm in all of France. Ms. Frey, who is also responsible for the brilliant wines produced at La Lagune in Bordeaux, has reduced the amount of new oak for the red wines to about 20% and to negligible proportions for the whites. A second wine of Hermitage, La Petite Chapelle, is fashioned from 33% or more of the production that is culled out to guarantee that the great reputation of the Hermitage La Chapelle has enjoyed over the last century is maintained.

Robert M. Parker, Jr., The Wine Advocate (December 2011)

One of my favorite vintages of this cuvée, the 2009 Hermitage La Chapelle comes from a ripe, blockbuster styled year yet now, at age 13, is pure, classic Hermitage with its darker currant and blackberry fruits as well as notes of smoked meats, leather, soy sauce, graphite, and roasted herbs. Powerful, concentrated, and full-bodied on the palate, it's shed most of its baby fat and has a classic, elegant mouthfeel, ripe yet still present tannins, and a gorgeous finish. This is clearly the finest example of this cuvée after the 1990. However, while the 1990 still tastes like an infant, this certainly shows some maturity and is ready to go. Nevertheless, it has another 20-30 years of prime drinking ahead of it.

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (June 2022)

As stated above, the formidable 2009 Hermitage La Chapelle is one of the most memorable examples of this cuvee yet produced. An inky, thick, viscous, black/purple color is accompanied by abundant notes of creme de cassis, spring flowers, graphite, licorice and beef blood. The wine possesses massive concentration, sensational freshness and purity, abundant sweet, velvety tannins and a huge finish. Stylistically, it has the opulence and viscosity of the 1990, and the structure and freshness of the 1978. The 2009 requires 7-10 years of cellaring and will drink well for 30-40+ years. (Not yet released) It did not take long for Caroline Frey to whip this somewhat rudderless (following the death of Gerard Jaboulet in the late 1990s) estate into shape. The first few years were transitionary ones, but in 2009 she was aided by what is an exceptional vintage in the Northern Rhone as well as low yields at Jaboulet (20 hectoliters per hectare at Les Bessards and 25 hectoliters per hectare at Le Meal). The result is the greatest vintage at Jaboulet since 1990. Moreover, it is clear they have moved away from a large negociant operation to estate-bottled domaine wines, which all of the following represent. If you have been off the Jaboulet bandwagon over the last decade or so, now is the time to jump back on for both whites and reds. They still own just under 300 acres spread throughout the Rhone Valley, with their biggest holdings 52 acres in Hermitage and 112+ acres at their Domaine de Thalabert in Crozes-Hermitage. As I have indicated before, the Frey family has instituted a strict selection process in order to cull out the finest lots for their flagship wine - Hermitage La Chapelle. Production used to be 8,000-10,000 cases, but for the 2009 Hermitage La Chapelle, which will be the greatest La Chapelle since 1990 and 1978, there are only 2,000 cases. The white wines have jumped considerably in quality. Most are now put through 100% malolactic. Importer: Frederick Wildman, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700

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Opaque purple. Complex, highly fragrant aromas of candied dark fruits, cola, incense and violet, with bright mineral and spice nuances adding lift and energy. Stains the palate with deep blackberry and boysenberry flavors that expand and gain sweetness with aeration. Refuses to let up on the finish, which leaves peppery spice and floral pastille notes behind.

Lovely, pure black fruit aromas. Gorgeous fragrance too. Tender but prominent tannins, fine balance and a lovely spicy hint on the finish. Just entering its drinking window. Serious and aristocratic. (RH)

Very dark garnet. Oaky but with more obviously peppery Syrah character than in the 2007. Deep dark fruit. Sweet fruited. Chewy, vanilla-laced black fruit. Thick texture, a bit drying on the finish. Drink 2022-2032.

Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com (June 2024)