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The Sorrel Hermitage Le Greal with a sister cuvee.
Every Sunday at 7:30 a.m. I'm going deep
into my wine cellar to pull
out the last of some very great bottles. I
promise rare wines for the cellar- builder in
very limited quantities, gems of astonishing
quality carrying highly pedigreed labels that
will tempt the most temperate among us.
So, don't hit the snooze! These wines will be
gone, gone, gone, quickly.
Please note: these wines have been in
temperature-control since they arrived from
France.
Marc Sorrel - Hermitage!
"For pure richness, allied to complexity
and elegance,
Hermitage remains unequaled." Robert
Parker
My first taste of Hermitage reminded me of the most
perfect Bordeaux I'd ever had. But with its own unique smoky, minerally richness
Hermitage is situated south of Lyon on a
dramatic stone-walled terraced hillside of
granite, where the Rhone River makes a
circular sweep in its trip to the
Mediterranean. The great steep hillside
vineyards have a broad southern exposure and
are heated by the River and the rocky soil
which stores the summer heat late into the
day.
The elite Hermitage wines are expensive. The
yields are low and the harvesting (and all
the vineyard work) must be done by hand. No
grower in his right mind would take a tractor
up there on that hillside. Nothing but a
mountain goat belongs up there. So, the cost
of our complex, sexy, fruit bomb gets up
there.
There is some good news. Marc Sorrel is part
of a small elite of some of the best growers
in the Rhone: Chave, Jaboulet, and
Chapoutier are names you're probably familiar
with. Their special cuvees go for
hundreds of dollars a bottle. Marc's
Hermitage and his special cuvee, Le
Greal is far more reasonable.
Hermitage are 100% Syrah. Le Greal is
a miniscule-quantity (about 200
cases in a good year) blockbuster cuvee. Le
Greal comes from two vineyards:
Meal and
Greffieux. The Meal and
Greffieux vineyards are located on the
highest hill in Hermitage.
Robert Parker describes the
Meal vineyard :
"This large steeply terraced vineyard
produces one of the most exotic, smoky,
sexy styles of Syrah. (The wine) is
supple, voluptuously textured and more
forward and flattering than wines from other
vineyards."
90% of Sorrel's Hermitage comes from
Meal.
Lets start with the last bottles of some old vintages:
Marc Sorrel Hermitage 2000 - 9 bottles
left - Parker 88 $75 per bottle
Marc Sorrel Hermitage 2001 - 15 bottles
left - Parker 88-90
$75 per bottle, 6 bottles $420 ($70),
12-bottle case $799 ($67)
"Exhibiting a deeper ruby/purple color than
the 2000, along with more noticeable tannin,
a more uplifted aromatic style and a more
delineated mid-palate and finish, the 2001
red Hermitage needs 2-3 more years of
cellaring, and should last for 12-15 years. Drink
2005-2018."
Marc Sorrel Hermitage 2003 - only 8
bottles left - Parker 91 $75 per bottle
"The dark plum/purple-tinged 2003 Hermitage
possesses a fat, chewy nose of tar,
chocolate, blackberries, cassis, and scorched
earth. Dense, powerful, viscous, and long, it
should drink well for 10-15 years. " Drink
2006-2021.
Marc Sorrel Hermitage Le Greal
2003 - 7 bottles left - Parker 96+ $185
per bottle
"The blockbuster 2003 Hermitage Le
Greal tastes like a liqueur of creme de
cassis interwoven with liquid rocks and
blackberry jam. Marc Sorrel told me it is
"original," which I took to mean he wasn't
especially fond of such a thick and
enormously concentrated wine. It is a
viscous, concentrated, powerful, full-bodied
Hermitage with atypical definition and
freshness for its high alcohol and
super-endowed, thick, rich style. Give it 2-3
years of bottle age, and drink it over the
following 25. Unfortunately, production is
a measly 175 cases."
And some more recent vintages
Marc Sorrel Hermitage 2004 - 36 bottles
left -
$72 per bottle, 6 bottles $359 ($67), 12
bottle case $767 ($64)
Marc Sorrel Hermitage Le Greal -
2004 - 48 bottles left - Parker 90-92
$125 per bottle, 6 bottles $720 ($120), 12
bottle case $1200 ($100)
"The top cuvee of red Hermitage, the 2004
Hermitage Le Greal (a blend of grapes from
the estate's Greffieux and Meal vineyards)
achieved 14% natural alcohol. A pure,
well-textured, elegant effort with hints of
Pinot Noir-like finesse and sensuality, this
medium-bodied 2004 is a noteworthy success in
this irregular vintage. Consume it over the next
decade."
Marc Sorrel Hermitage Le Greal
2005 - 72 bottles left - Wine
Spectator 93
$155 per bottle, 6 bottles $894 ($149), 12
bottle case $1740 ($145)
"A solid, muscular style, packed with dark
fig paste, black currant, bittersweet cocoa,
coffee, grilled beef and loam notes, all
carried by loamy tannins. Yet stays juicy on
the finish, thanks to well-buried acidity.
Best from 2009 through 2020. 160 cases made.
-JM, Wine Spectator 93
Marc Sorrel Hermitage Le Greal
2006 - 72 bottles left - Parker 95
$155 per bottle, 6 bottles $894 ($149), 12
bottle case $1740 ($145)
"The stunning, deep ruby/purple-hued 2006
Hermitage Le Greal (4,500 bottles produced)
exhibits aromas of smoked duck, gamy animal,
new saddle leather, creme de cassis, scorched
earth, and truffles. This thick, rich,
full-bodied, magnificent Hermitage achieved
15.5% natural alcohol. It will last for
20-25+ years."
Oh, those Rhones: The power of a Bordeaux and
the flavor complexity of a Burgundy. Does it
get any better than that? Cynthia
Hurley
To reserve any of these wines just
respond to
this email. Reservations honored in the order
received.
This wine is in stock and available for
immediate
delivery.
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