Tasting Notes
Jeb Dunnuck 97
I’ve always loved the 2012 Hermitage La Chapelle, and this is the first vintage where winemaker Caroline Frey feels that you can see the full effect of the shift to organic viticulture. Its deep purple color is followed by a ripe, full-bodied, sexy wine loaded with notions of bouquet garni, toasted bread, spiced meats, and assorted darker fruits. Concentrated, structured, and perfectly balanced, it’s a magical Hermitage that has some accessibility today yet will cruise for another 25-30 years.
Robert Parker 97
The first year where winemaker Caroline Frey really feels her organic farming drive paid off, the 2012 Hermitage la Chapelle is a gorgeous effort that shows the purity and texture of the vintage, as well as the class of the le Meal lieu-dit. Offering up classic black raspberry and sweet dark fruit, Asian spice, toasted bread, licorice and savory herbs, this beauty is full-bodied, beautifully concentrated and has enough tannic grip to demand 4-5 years of bottle age. It will have 3+ decades of longevity.
Anticipated maturity: 2020-2042
