Wine Advisor
Marc Sorrel, Hermitage Les Rocoules 2017
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski
Is this the greatest Les Rocoules I've ever tasted? The 2017 Hermitage Blanc Les Rocoules shows more structure than the 2018, informed by greater freshness and crushed stone nuances. It's full-bodied, loaded with power and richness and possesses layers of ripe fruit, yet it remains cool and refreshing on the long, long finish. When confronted with a wine like this, words tend to fail to convey the emotion and sensations of the moment—you have to try it for yourself.
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.
