Tasting Notes
100% Marsanne. Faurie produces a maximum of 800 bottles of Hermitage Blanc each vintage (usually much less), a wine described by Faurie’s US importer, Kermit Lynch, as an “absolutely mesmerizing example from the lower slopes that is wiry, stony, and coiled for many years of unfurling.” Faurie’s 0.2 hectares of Marsanne was planted between 1920 and 1960. The vines are trained on stakes in the lower slopes of Les Greffieux where Faurie tells us the soils (very rocky, decomposed granite) are influenced by the neighbouring Bessards terroir.
The fruit was simply whole-bunch pressed and naturally fermented in old cask, with only partial malo. Faurie picked the grapes reasonably early this vintage to lock in as much freshness as possible. He advises patience (good luck with that!) as there is so much structural matter waiting to be resolved.
If you’ve ever wondered how great Marsanne can be, this is one of a small number of bottles to try. It’s worth noting that back in the late 1800s, a merchant was obliged to buy a producer’s red Hermitage in order to secure an allocation of the white. Faurie’s wine gives us an idea of why this may have once been the case. - Importer Note
'Faurie is currently making the best wines of his career, which is now well into its fourth decade.' - Josh Reynolds, Vinous
Bernard Faurie has certainly cemented his status as one of the legends of the Northern Rhone. He is the fifth generation in a long line of Hermitage producers, who have owned vines on 'The Hill' since 1935. These vines are now well over 100 years of age, and produce wines of incredible transparency, even in riper years.
Bernard’s parcels are spread among three principal vineyards of Hermitage: Bessards, Méal, and Gréffieux. From these, he produces several single site cuvées, as well as blends across all three. He works his vines as naturally as possible, using a horse to plough, and makes wine in the classic manner - no de-stemming, whole bunches crushed by foot, natural fermentation, no fining and only a light filtration if necessary. The wines are aged for up to 24 months in predominantly 600 litre demi muids, with only 10-30% new oak, depending on the vintage.
It is nice to be reminded of how great this storied terroir can be in the hands of a master vigneron.
| Product Type | Wine White Viognier Marsanne Roussanne & Friends |
| Volume | 750ml |
| Country | France |
| Region | Northern Rhone |
| Sub Region | Hermitage |
| Winemaking Practices | Minimal Intervention |
| Vineyard Practices | Minimal Intervention |