January 13, 2024 - Northern Rhone night: Showed quite similarly to the 2011 Le Greal that I opened a couple of years ago. Attractive VA that many at the table loved but thought it was a little too much for me. Pretty red fruit on the palate, delicate and elegant for a Hermitage but thought it lacked depth compared to the Faurie; perhaps due to the weaker vintage.
February 19, 2016 - a medium + ruby, giving away a little garnet age at the edge.
So distinctly pepper corns on the nose and some forest fruits, but perhaps slightly cooked.
Delicious on the palette, cooked fruit and pepper followed by some pretty wild astringency, but with rack of lamb and croquettes it cuts across pretty well. Could have lasted in bottle a few more years I would say...
January 4, 2015 - Dark red with orange bricking. Looks a bit older than it tastes.
Very much red fruit on the nose with smoky notes on the end. Surely made with whole-bunch fermentation: a stemmy nose (not in a bad way).
Ball of red fruit on the palate with pepery hints and the spice/lift from the stems. Reasonably good length.
Good early drinking Hermitage from a reasonably weak Rhone vintage. Definitely enjoyable now.
January 31, 2013 - Good wine for early drinking, plenty of black fruits (olives, blackberry), great balance, white pepper...typical Syrah...and all that in a bad vintage for red northern rhone wines so much so that Mr Sorrel blended his 2 cuvées into this Hermitage. Great value for money!
September 13, 2011 - Unsmoked tobacco on the nose, followed by a whiff of iodine and leather. Good blackfruit on the palate and dominant tobacco flavor. A bit lean but pleasurable mouthfeel. Tasty without being self-important. Drank at Kensington Wine Rooms in London.
March 1, 2010 - Berry Bros 2008 Rhone tasting (1 Great George Street, London): Peppery nose, but limited fruit. A little mean?