The best bottle I've ever had, the 2005 Hermitage la Chapelle showed much more density and concentration than I recall. Peppery herbs, currants, dried blood and licorice flow beautifully to a medium to full-bodied wine that has lots of tannin, but solid mid-palate depth as well. It has a touch of the savory rusticity found in the 2006, but was still impressive on this occasion. It's worth noting that both the 2004 and 2005 were blended by Caroline Frey. - Jeb Dunnuck

A big step up from Jaboulet's La Petite Chapelle, this is on a par with some of Jaboulet's past efforts. It's richly concentrated, yet nuanced, with notes of blood and mineral added to ripe cassis fruit and accented by hints of vanilla and spice. The tannins form an almost creamy texture in the mouth, and the finish lingers a good long time. Drink 2012–2025. JOE CZERWINSKI

Very juicy with nice drive to the black currant and boysenberry fruit which is pushed by dark plum sauce black licorice and sweet toast notes. The long fleshy finish shows the polished grip of the vintage. Best from 2010 through 2022. 400 cases imported.

Inky purple. Spicy dark berry and violet aromas build and expand with air picking up suave mineral and sassafras character. Fleshy dark berry preserve flavors are complemented by zesty graphite and succulent herbs finishing with superb depth and sweetness. Great material here and I'll bet that this will please drinkers not long after its release unlike most wines from this vintage.

Now fully mature, the 2005 Hermitage La Chapelle is a leaner, more linear, medium-bodied example of this wine that has aged gracefully. It offers terrific aromatics of red and black currants, smoked meat, leather, soy sauce, and ground pepper, and on the palate, it has resolved tannins and some of the rusticity that was present in its youth has faded away. Today, it's silky and seamless, with a charming, elegant profile. It's not going to get any better, but it certainly has another decade of prime drinking, and a gradual decline after that. This is the first vintage where owner Caroline Frey was involved and was responsible for the blending of this wine.