Hints of amber to the brick-red center color. It shows lots of saffron, mushroom, forest floor, pastrami and other dried meats. Full body with incredible silky tannins and a depth of character and intensity. Red pepper and paprika. A stunning wine. So much decadence and complexity.

I love the 1985 Hermitage La Chapelle, and readers looking for a fully mature, seamless Hermitage drinking at point can’t go wrong here. Ruby/plum-colored, with complex notes of dried herbs, smoked meats, Asian spices, and assorted mature fruits all flow to a medium to full-bodied Hermitage that has beautiful overall balance, a seamless texture, and a great finish. Purity, focus, and elegance are the buzzwords here. Drink ‘em if you have ‘em.

One of the more finesse driven wines in the vertical, the 1985 Hermitage la Chapelle offered beautiful, complex notes of coffee beans, dried meats, potpourri and mint to go with a full-bodied, elegant and seamless feel on the palate. Following on the heels of the monster-sized '89, it still stood out for its purity, fine tannin and length on the finish. It's a beautiful wine drinking at point.- JD

It is harder and harder to get to taste these mature older Northern Rhone wines. Each time I do, I am always thrilled and seldom disappointed and this bottle was no exception. Full-bodied, with a generous blast of cinnamon, 5 spice, smoke, kirsch, thyme, red fruit and black pepper, the wine is juicy, fresh, earthy and frankly, it reminds me of taking ripe, red fruits and squeezing them over rocks. Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/wine-tasting-note/?vintage=1985&wine=Paul%20Jaboulet%20Aine%20Hermitage%20La%20Chapelle

A pleasant expressive Hermitage showing a ripe character with lovely plum blackberry lead pencil and leather notes. The tannins are well integrated but still firm. Long finish.--La Chapelle vertical. Drink now through 2007. (PM)