Why it matters
The producer
La Chapelle is the flagship cuvée of Domaines Paul Jaboulet Aîné, a domaine headquartered in Tain-l'Hermitage in the Northern Rhône Valley. The estate cultivates vineyards across Northern Rhône appellations, with La Chapelle at the center of its range.
The property combines a long Jaboulet family history with Frey family ownership since 2006. Caroline Frey led the conversion of the vineyards to organic and biodynamic agriculture. The estate's wines include a flagship Hermitage cuvée, a secondary La Petite Chapelle, and broader bottles such as Parallèle 45 Rouge.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Tain-l'Hermitage places the domaine in the Northern Rhône Valley, close to the Hermitage hill that defines La Chapelle's setting. Paul Jaboulet Aîné cultivates the second largest vineyard on the famous Hermitage hill, while its wider holdings extend across Northern Rhône appellations.
The range therefore includes wines tied to the Hermitage hill alongside bottles carrying broader regional addresses. La Chapelle is the named flagship, while Parallèle 45 Rouge represents a more widely drawn cuvée created in 1950.
In the cellar
Vineyards and cellar
The estate obtained its Haute Valeur Environnementale certificate in 2015. Organic and biodynamic agriculture now guide the vineyard work under Caroline Frey's leadership.
For La Chapelle, the grapes are fully destemmed and fermented parcel by parcel. Parcel by parcel fermentation keeps each vineyard lot separate during the first stage of cellar work. After cask maturation, the denser selections become La Chapelle, while lighter expressions are reserved for blending into La Petite Chapelle.
Wines to know
The range in view
La Chapelle is the flagship cuvée, with annual production ranging from 30,000 to 80,000 bottles. La Petite Chapelle is the secondary cuvée, made with the less dense wines set aside after cask maturation.
Parallèle 45 Rouge was created in 1950 and sits within the domaine's broader range. Cornas Les Grandes Terrasses brings dense fruit, substantial tannins, and considerable mouth feel. Together, the bottles move from a widely produced cuvée to named Rhône wines with greater tannic weight.