Wine Advisor
Marc Sorrel, Hermitage Le Greal 2004
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
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. Importer: JAO Wine Imports, McLean, VA.
About the Producer
Marc Sorrel is a leading estate in the Hermitage appellation of the northern Rhône, producing traditionally styled, long-lived red wines from Syrah as well as white wines from Marsanne and Roussanne. The estate was founded in 1928 by Félix Sorrel and from 1984 to 2018, was run by his grandson Marc. Today, Marc's son Guillaume is at the helm of the domaine. The estate is best known for its Hermitage wines, sourced from several plots on the famous hillside. Typically, the vines are planted on granite-based soils, and enjoy the region's sunny, south-oriented mesoclimate. Some of the vines are more than 60 years old, and produce tiny yields of intensely concentrated berries. There are four Hermitage wines in Marc Sorrel's current portfolio – two red and two white and are varietal expressions of Syrah and Marsanne respectively. The top red wine, Le Gréal, is produced in tiny amounts from the best old vine parcels of Syrah within the estate with a small portion of Marsanne. The white wine, Les Rocoules, is predominantly Marsanne with a little Roussanne. Marc Sorrel also makes a red and a white Crozes-Hermitage wine. In the winery, the grapes are often whole-bunch fermented. The white varieties are fermented in large used oak barrels to impart a soft oak influence. All wines are aged in old oak barrels in the cellar for a period prior to bottling.
