Paul Jaboulet Aîné’s Hermitage “La Chapelle” 2005 is a flagship Northern Rhône red from the steep Hermitage hill, made from 100% Syrah and named for the small chapel that crowns the slope. In a vintage that has drawn consistently strong critical attention, the wine is widely described as concentrated but not monolithic, with a mix of ripe fruit, savory complexity, and Hermitage structure.
Several reviewers landed in excellent territory, with multiple 93-point assessments. Wine Spectator (93 points) calls it “very juicy,” driven by “black currant and boysenberry fruit,” layered with “dark plum sauce, black licorice and sweet toast notes,” and finishing long with “the polished grip of the vintage.” They recommended patience—“Best from 2010 through 2022”—and noted “400 cases imported,” underscoring its relative scarcity in the market.
Wine Enthusiast (93 points) also framed it as a return to form, describing it as “a big step up from Jaboulet’s La Petite Chapelle,” and “richly concentrated, yet nuanced,” with “notes of blood and mineral” alongside “ripe cassis fruit” and “hints of vanilla and spice.” They highlight texture as a key feature: “The tannins form an almost creamy texture,” with a finish that “lingers a good long time,” and a drinking window of 2012–2025.
Vinous (92 points) emphasizes aromatics and freshness, starting with “inky purple” color and “spicy dark berry and violet aromas,” then “suave mineral and sassafras,” and finishing with “superb depth and sweetness.” They add an important stylistic point: “this will please drinkers not long after its release unlike most wines from this vintage.”
Later, Jeb Dunnuck (91 points, 2022) finds it “now fully mature,” “leaner, more linear,” and “silky and seamless,” with “resolved tannins,” and notes it was “the first vintage where owner Caroline Frey was involved” in the blend. He concludes it “isn’t going to get any better,” but should still deliver “another decade of prime drinking.”
