Tasting Notes
Gold capsule. For those who do not know John Livingstone-Learmonth’s work, he is both a scholar and a gentleman and, by far, the most comprehensive authority on the wines of the Rhône Valley. We follow his work avidly and yet have never seen him award a sixth star to any wine. Indeed, we didn’t know there was a sixth star. I had to go back to his ground-breaking 2005 tome, The Wines of the Northern Rhône (California Press), to check the rating scale, and there it was: “****** Outstanding, the cat’s whiskers. Grand vin—sumptuous, majestic, seductive—a wine to make even the veteran drinker stop, pause and reflect.” Two of Faurie’s Hermitage bottlings received this rating in 2018. A legend in the making. - Importer Note
“(1-year 600-litre cask) this was harvested six days after the Greffieux-Bessards harvest: bright, full red colour. Has a floral, clear raspberry fruit aroma, really comfy fruit, a bit of pepper, also reduction. The palate springs out well, is a classic Hermitage led by Méal for now – there is plunging depth from that source, and a long life ahead beckons, Bessards coming though over time. This is excellent, offers spectacular truth from two of the Big Three climats. It’s extremely long and ends in concentrated fashion. I would set this aside until 2026. 2052-54.” John Livingstone-Learmonth, Drink Rhône
“A powerful, highly scented bouquet evokes dark fruit preserves, olive paste, violet and star anise, along with smoked meat and allspice flourishes. Sweet and expansive on the palate, offering concentrated blueberry, cassis and spicecake flavors that are lifted and given spicy lift by a jolt of cracked pepper. Quite rich but lively as well, finishing very long and spicy, with mounting tannins and a lingering floral note.” 94-96 points, Josh Raynolds, Vinous
'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 Red Shiraz |
| Volume | 750ml |
| Country | France |
| Region | Northern Rhone |
| Sub Region | Hermitage |
| Winemaking Practices | Minimal Intervention |
| Vineyard Practices | Minimal Intervention |