The 2015 Hermitage La Chapelle is one of the estate’s finest recent efforts. It’s packed with firm tannins and will need to be lost in the cellar for a decade, but it will reward those with patience. Richly concentrated and full-bodied, it hits all the expected notes—cassis, black olive, smoke, crushed stone, pencil shavings and espresso—then finishes long, with an aristocratic sense of reserve and austerity. Winemaker Jacques Devernois compares it to a woman’s black dress, meaning it speaks of elegance and class. Drink Date 2027-2050.

Joe Czerwinski, The Wine Advocate (December 2017)

Bright purple. Explosive, smoke- and spice-accented blueberry, cherry cola, incense and smoky mineral aromas show outstanding delineation and pick up a hint of olive with aeration. Sweet and expansive on the palate, offering deeply concentrated dark berry liqueur, fruitcake and floral pastille flavors, along with a suggestion of star anise. The remarkably long, penetrating finish features strong minerally cut, an echo of sweet blue fruit and harmonious tannins that come in late and fold effortlessly into the deeply concentrated fruit. At this stage, this is a contender for the wine of the vintage, at least by estimation. Drinking Window 2028-2040.

Josh Raynolds, Vinous (February 2018)

So inky and unfathomably profound in shade, this wine may stain your stemware as well as your palate with its caliginous hue. With a decanter filled with crème de cassis, this full bodied, concentrated dream liquid fills your mouth and coats your palate while mesmerizing your senses for at least 60 seconds. The fruit bestows purity, intensity, length and precision. In its youth, it's intellectual; when it matures, it will be a hedonistic coup d’état. Is this the best vintage since 1990 or perhaps 1978? Yes! This is off the charts. If you you have the money, this is a wine to lay down. Once other people begin tasting this wine, and word gets out, it is only going to become more expensive. 

Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider (April 2018)

Pure perfection in red wine, and as good a La Chapelle as has ever been made, the 2015 Hermitage La Chapelle reveals a deep, inky purple color as well as a mammoth-sized bouquet of black and blue fruits, liquid rock-like minerality, smoked game, ground pepper, and iron. Reminding me of the 1978 with its rare mix of power and elegance, this brilliant, sensational Hermitage already offers pleasure and will evolve for another 30-40 years. Maturity 2022-2062.

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com (June 2022)