The Frey family, owners of the famed Paul Jaboulet Aine since 2006, have appointed Chiara Pepe as the new head of viticulture and winemaking for its iconic Domaine de la Chapelle wines.

The 32-year-old Italian winemaker joins the Hermitage estate, taking over the reins from Caroline Frey, who had directed for years winemaking at the estate since her father, Swiss entrepreneur Jean-Jacques Frey, took ownership 20 years ago.

Caroline had in June 2025 announced her stepping away from winemaking duties, citing personal health reasons and a desire to focus on her Swiss vineyards in the Valais.

Pepe will continue to also lead her family’s renowned Emidio Pepe domain in Abruzzo, Italy, as the third-generation leader having produced her first solo vintage in 2020. A dedicated practitioner of biodynamics, she has already begun implementing and refining these sustainable methods at Domaine de la Chapelle.

Domaine de la Chapelle Hermitage.

Named for the iconic summit chapel on Hermitage hill, La Chapelle is the flagship Syrah of Paul Jaboulet Aine, founded in 1834. While generations of the Jaboulet family produced some of the world’s finest wines from prized parcels like Le Méal and Les Bessards, the estate would suffer a massive setback with the sudden death of Gérard Jaboulet in 1997. 

Consequently the estate would change hands, going to the Frey family, who would now become a major player in the Northern Rhône. Under Caroline Frey, the estate underwent a rigorous technical revival, transitioning to biodynamic farming and modernized cellar practices to establish quality.

Sisters Caroline Frey and Delphine Prost Frey.

Known for her daring, Frey would bring about stylistic shifts, moving away from traditional large foudres in favor of new oak barriques to create a sleeker, more refined red. Similarly, the flagship white, Le Chevalier de Sterimberg, was pivoted towards a more taut, mineral-driven profile through earlier harvesting, swapping out its classic honeyed opulence with a fresher, less oxidative style.

In 2021, the Frey family established Domaine de la Chapelle as a distinct brand for their flagship red and white cuvées, which was then supported by a new dedicated winery. This move was part of a broader overhaul of the Paul Jaboulet Aine portfolio, which shifted toward a high-quality, estate-driven model, over time eliminating négociant bottlings and significantly reducing overall production volume.

Pepe brings a new vision for her wines. Speaking to Wine Spectator, she outlined her belief that a sharper focus on soil health will bring greater “liveliness and energy”, with also changes to canopy management that will increase sun protection, allowing for greater phenolic ripeness while preserving acidity.

Pepe is also considering implementing white clay treatments at the estate, where the clay acts as a natural sunscreen, reflecting sunlight to lower vine temperatures during extreme heat. This comes as a result of France's intensifying battle in coping with the increasingly tumultuous effects of rapid climate change.

The most significant cellar change potentially to be seen involves a possible transition to spontaneous fermentation, relying on indigenous ambient yeasts from the vineyards rather than introducing commercial laboratory strains.

Furthermore, she plans to introduce whole-berry fermentation, said to enhance aromatic complexity, freshness, and "lift" in the wines. To ensure a more delicate tannin structure, she is installing a vertical basket press, favoring its gentler extraction over a high-pressure systems.

She also plans to transition away from new oak by incorporating concrete eggs and large neutral vessels in the cellar, and will extend bottle aging to ensure the wines are more expressive upon release.

Pepe stressed that the evolution at La Chapelle won’t be radical, with her first year primarily involved in extensive experimentation: “I’m arriving with a learning attitude and asking lots of questions. Aside from a harvest in Patagonia and one in Burgundy, I’ve spent my whole life in Abruzzo.”

Kanpai!

88 Bamboo Editorial Team