Wine Advisor
Marc Sorrel, Hermitage Le Greal 2023
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Stuart Pigott
The floral and wild berry beauty of this wine doesn't lie in its enormous concentration and drive, but in the mind-blowing finesse and incredible silkiness of this great masterpiece of delicacy. Where are abundant alcohol and taninns that this unique expression of Hermitage must have? They are in there somewhere, but the wine feels totally weightless. From vineyards planted in 1926 by the winemaker's grandfather in the Les Greffieux and Le Meal sections of the hill of Hermitage. Drink from release.
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.
