Decanter (96)

A particularly fruity Gréal, much more open than usual at this stage. It has weight and presence and a seriously mineral edge. Less concentration and structure than a typical year, but it should last well thanks to its energy, tension and strict tannins, and end up very Pinotesque in style with age. It’s pure and elegant and with good ripeness of fruit and tannin. Impressive, but don't expect a huge wine. Very true to Bessards, like sucking pencil lead. Vines partly grown on Le Méal, partly on Les Greffieux, and 10% whole bunch used.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Lastly, and a legendary wine in the making, the 2015 Hermitage La Chapelle is reminiscent of the 1990 with its full-bodied, opulently, sexy, yet concentrated style. Offering sensational notes of blackcurrants, smoked herbs, beef blood, and chocolate, it’s a huge yet elegant wine that has masses of sweet tannin, incredible purity and finesse, and a killer finish. It’s the finest wine from this estate in close to 30 years. Hats off to Caroline Frey and Jacques Desvernois!

James Suckling (97-98)

Very spicy and peppery with blue-granite aromas plus hints of grilled and smoked meat. Cloves and nutmeg. Full body, round and juicy tannins and a super spicy finish that almost burns with so much character yet turns fine and focused at the end. A beauty.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

The 2017 Hermitage La Chapelle showed incredibly well and is a brilliant wine that's reminiscent of a richer, denser 2011. Loads of sun-kissed dark fruits, leather, graphite, and flowers, with ample spice and sandalwood nuances, give way to a full-bodied, pure, deep, multi-dimensional Hermitage that’s just about as good as it gets. The balance, length, and depth of this is something to behold, and while it unquestionably offers pleasure today, it has another 20-30 years of prime drinking ahead of it.

Wine Advocate (98-100)

Jaboulet's 2018 Hermitage La Chapelle features scents of crushed stone, violets and cassis. It's a classic trio, backed by a wine that's full-bodied, rich and powerful yet also airy, somehow carrying intense plum and black olive flavors without any sense of heaviness or excess weight. Then the wine finishes long and softly dusty, with tannins that accentuate its savory character, picking up delicious hints of licorice at the very end. The proportion of new oak has been trimmed back to a very reasonable 20% and is hardly noticeable in the wine.

Matthew Jukes (20++)

Like La Maison Bleue, La Chapelle barely moved an inch over the five days that it sat open (and gradually oxidising) on my tasting bench. This is a monumental wine with the finest Syrah nose I have seen since the ethereal and intriguing beauty of the remarkable 2016 vintage and also the monolithic stance of the legendary 1990. However, this is not to say that this vintage can be directly compared to either year. There is a latent power about this wine that is as elusive as it is impressive. This solaire vintage has certainly given La Chapelle a sense of foreboding power and yet there is so much grace here, too. You could be sniffing a handful of granite and gravel, a bouquet of freshly picked herbs, a mortar of freshly ground pepper or a punnet of juicy black fruit and yet there is so much more to discover here. What I find so remarkable about this wine is that it does not show any trace of over-ripeness nor does it have any unwanted oiliness or excessive alcohol. In spite of its richness and depth, this is a pristinely refreshing wine with crunch and crackle of filigree tannin which enlivens every sip. In this regard, it is a far less obvious superstar than the preening 1990 and it is a more erudite and statuesque model than the esoteric 2016. In short, this is one of only a handful of vintages of La Chapelle to which I have awarded a perfect score and who is to say that this will not happen again before too long? The care and attention in this entire portfolio of wines are evident and the hard work and holistic approach are not only paying off in the vineyards but also in the glass, too, and this makes 2019 another phenomenally successful vintage for Jaboulet.

Matthew Jukes (20++)

Like La Maison Bleue, La Chapelle barely moved an inch over the five days that it sat open (and gradually oxidising) on my tasting bench. This is a monumental wine with the finest Syrah nose I have seen since the ethereal and intriguing beauty of the remarkable 2016 vintage and also the monolithic stance of the legendary 1990. However, this is not to say that this vintage can be directly compared to either year. There is a latent power about this wine that is as elusive as it is impressive. This solaire vintage has certainly given La Chapelle a sense of foreboding power and yet there is so much grace here, too. You could be sniffing a handful of granite and gravel, a bouquet of freshly picked herbs, a mortar of freshly ground pepper or a punnet of juicy black fruit and yet there is so much more to discover here. What I find so remarkable about this wine is that it does not show any trace of over-ripeness nor does it have any unwanted oiliness or excessive alcohol. In spite of its richness and depth, this is a pristinely refreshing wine with crunch and crackle of filigree tannin which enlivens every sip. In this regard, it is a far less obvious superstar than the preening 1990 and it is a more erudite and statuesque model than the esoteric 2016. In short, this is one of only a handful of vintages of La Chapelle to which I have awarded a perfect score and who is to say that this will not happen again before too long? The care and attention in this entire portfolio of wines are evident and the hard work and holistic approach are not only paying off in the vineyards but also in the glass, too, and this makes 2019 another phenomenally successful vintage for Jaboulet.

Matthew Jukes (19+)

While there are faint roasted coffee bean notes here, which hint at the warm summer, and exotic rose and musk characters that only ever emerge in concentrated vintages, this is a masterclass in restraint and self-awareness. While this 2020 perhaps lacks the overall gravitas and high-rise tannins of the majestic 2019 vintage, this is a very seductive La Chapelle and one that will appeal to lovers of textural, velvety Syrahs. I am certain that everyone who drinks this wine will fall for its charms.

Vinous (94)

Inky violet color. Deeply pitched cherry, blueberry, licorice and candied violet aromas are complemented by hints of baking spices, incense and smoky minerals. Succulent and penetrating on the palate, offering deeply concentrated black/blue fruit, spice and floral pastille flavors that become more energetic as the wine slowly stretches out. Weighty and broad yet lively as well, finishing with sharp delineation, mounting tannins and outstanding, floral- and mineral-driven persistence.

Matthew Jukes (19++)

I fell for this wine in a microsecond – the very moment the first molecule of perfume exploded on my receptors. This is a step-change vintage for La Maison Bleue because I have not seen this degree of single-mindedness and overriding intention before in this wine. 2019 La Maison Bleue seems as if it has realised that it does not need to sit behind La Chapelle in Caroline Frey’s portfolio. It signals, loud and clear, that it ought to be seated alongside its more renowned stablemate and be accorded the opportunity to address the masses as an equal, not a subordinate. This is a bold move from this honed, sleek wine. In 2019, with just that little bit more power and ambition under its belt, it has broken free and it looks absolutely sensational. The fruit is regal and layered and the tannins are precision-cut and perfectly positioned making it every inch a superstar. By the end of day five of my tasting these amazing wines, La Maison Bleue seemed as if it were saying, let’s keep going! While this is a ‘finished barrel sample’, this wine wanted to be tested to its limits and I cannot fault its enthusiasm and excellence. You simply must track it down!

Matthew Jukes (19+)

There is extraordinary equilibrium in this sensational wine. It is so finely balanced it is baffling, and the depth and richness is offset with the most dramatic acid and strident minerality I have seen in a wine of this style. There are profound meadow-flower and stone fruit flavour here which enchant the senses but they are marshalled brilliantly by the citrus pith and green apple skin raspiness on the finish. This is the most exciting Chevalier I have ever tasted and it rivals the very best whites from this region and others besides.

Vinous (92)

The 2017 Poggio di Sotto Rosso di Montalcino will need some time to fully open up. The nose is reticent, requiring quite a bit of coaxing, before a bouquet of fresh sweet strawberry, cherry, Tuscan spice box, dusty florals and hints of mint lift from the glass. On the palate, soft textures flood the senses, offset by tart red fruits, minerals and spice, as the 2018 seems to hover - well poised, almost weightless, yet still fully satisfying. The finish is long and very pretty, as fresh red fruits resonate above a tactile mix of acid, minerals and light tannin, giving way to a singular red floral note that seems to go on for minutes.

Wine Advocate (95)

This wine has more in common with a Brunello than it does a Rosso. Made with certified-organic fruit, Poggio di Sotto's 2018 Rosso di Montalcino is a very fine and smooth expression that caresses the senses. The bouquet is enlivened by forest berry, peat moss, lilac and wildflowers. The 2018 vintage is usually understated in personality, but this wine speaks of elegance and nuance. It's just stunning.

Vinous (95)

Shavings of cedar, blood orange, crushed cherries, dried flowers and stone dust form a mesmerizing bouquet as the 2019 Rosso di Montalcino slowly opens in the glass. There are depths of ripe textural fruits here, offset by zesty spices and bright acidity that sweeten the expression while energizing it as well. A web of fine tannins coats the palate through the finish, coupled with a core of primary concentration and sweet inner florals that seem to never truly fade. What a glorious achievement from Poggio di Sotto. The 2019 spent a whopping 43 days macerating on the skins, followed by 29 months of refinement in cask. It’s undoubtedly a baby Brunello.

Vinous (93)

Inky purple. Dark berry liqueur, cola and floral pastille aromas, with strong accents of incense and smoky minerals. Fat, sweet and palate-staining, offering intense blackberry preserve and cherry-cola flavors lifted by juicy acidity and sharpened by a peppery, spicy nuance. Quite powerful yet comes off graceful and precise. Finishes extremely long and alluringly sweet, with supple tannins and persistent smokiness. This got 85% new oak and the material is more than up to it.

Vinous (88)

The 2014 Rosso di Montalcino is the only wine Salvioni will release in a year marked by everything except good weather. Rain and poor overall conditions during the critical summer months plus an attack of the Suzukii fruit fly during harvest and high disease pressure proved to be too much to overcome. The 2014 Rosso is an attractive wine made from the best fruit Salvioni was able to salvage. Hints of dried cherry, tobacco, spice and dried herbs add modest complexity to a mid-weight wine that is best enjoyed sooner rather than later, before the forward flavors mature too much further. For the year, there is good depth and delineation, but even the Salvionis aren't miracle workers. Production is 10,000 bottles, down sharply from the 16-17,000 that are more of the norm here. Today, it looks like there will be no Rosso in 2012, 2013 or 2015.

Vinous (93)

The 2016 Rosso di Montalcino is a gorgeous wine for readers who want to get a good sense of the Salvioni house style. Powerful and virile, with tons of personality, the 2016 is terrific. Grilled herbs, smoke, tobacco, licorice and menthol wrap around a core of dark Sangiovese fruit in this brooding, intense Rosso from the Salvioni family. The savory qualities of Sangiovese come through beautifully here. This is such a gorgeous Rosso.

Vinous (89)

The 2017 Rosso di Montalcino is an intense, racy wine. Readers will find a rich, textured Rosso that captures all the power of the year. The volatile acidity is on the higher side, which is not unusual for traditionally made wines, but it is something readers who are especially sensitive should be aware of. There is no shortage of personality or character, though, that much is clear, but a full appreciation of the Salvioni 2017 Rosso requires a forgiving palate. Both bottles I tasted showed similarly.

Vinous (93+)

The darkly alluring 2019 Rosso di Montalcino captivates, as crushed ashen stone and balsam herbs give way to plum sauce and a hint of sweet mint. Its textures are like velvet yet lifted, with a tactile mix of sour cherries and ripe strawberries over a salty core of stimulating acids and minerals. The 2019 finishes structured, impossibly long and spicy, leaving a staining of primary concentration under an air of purple-toned inner florals. This is just an infant today with the potential for greatness. Frankly speaking, many producers would be lucky to be bottling a Brunello of this Rosso’s caliber.

Vinous (91)

Crushed hard red candies, dusty rose and autumnal spices create a deeply alluring bouquet as the 2020 Rosso di Montalcino opens in the glass. This is soft and round with juicy acidity that further enlivens its ripe red berries as peppery inner florals form toward the close. The 2020 leaves a gentle coating of tannins through the mouthwatering finale. This may possess the more immediate feel of the vintage, but the balance is impeccable.

Decanter (96)

Glass-staining purple colour. Incredibly powerful with searching perfume, leaf tea and glove leather behind the intense black fruits. Very fine and deep, perhaps just a touch too high in alcohol, a little overextracted. Phenomenal concentration and length however. A growling, brooding power, this could only be Hermitage. From vines of nearly 50 years of age grown organically on lieux-dits Beaumes and Péléat, matured in demi-muids with malolactic fermentation in barrel.