TN: 85 Paul Jaboulet La Chapelle Hermitage
Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2004 9:40 am
<b>1985 Paul Jaboulet La Chapelle Hermitage</b>
Slight red with brown tinges. Bouquet of leather, pepper and spice. Palate still hard-edged with tannin masking the fruit (initial thoughts were this had dried out). After one hour in the decanter, less tannic and over-the-top. Quite a surprisingly big and full-bodied wine with little grace. Good length. After three hours, got better again suggesting more evolution to come. A very peculiar and idiosyncratic wine with multiple personality disorder which I may need to revisit again in 2-3 years as IÂ’m not sure if itÂ’s still too young (closed) or just under fruited. My only questions are: will it throw off its tannic weight and is there enough fruit?
<b>Very Good 17.5 / 20</b>
Slight red with brown tinges. Bouquet of leather, pepper and spice. Palate still hard-edged with tannin masking the fruit (initial thoughts were this had dried out). After one hour in the decanter, less tannic and over-the-top. Quite a surprisingly big and full-bodied wine with little grace. Good length. After three hours, got better again suggesting more evolution to come. A very peculiar and idiosyncratic wine with multiple personality disorder which I may need to revisit again in 2-3 years as IÂ’m not sure if itÂ’s still too young (closed) or just under fruited. My only questions are: will it throw off its tannic weight and is there enough fruit?
<b>Very Good 17.5 / 20</b>