1999 Hermitage Blanc Rocoules
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Another sensationally concentrated, rich and textured Hermitage Blanc is the 1999 Hermitage Blanc les Rocoules. Giving up beautiful, honeyed, floral and waxy aromas and flavors, it stays remarkably fresh and lively on the palate while not giving an inch with regard to glycerin, mid-palate depth, or length on the finish. Readers who love the old-school style of Hermitage Blanc, where the focus is on texture and richness (while still showing purity of fruit), need to try these les Rocoules releases from Sorrel.
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Average Score
Robert Parker
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
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The 1999 Hermitage Les Rocoules is sporting extraordinary levels of glycerin and merits a serious wow! The natural alcohol is 14.8% and the wine (93% Marsanne and 7% Roussanne) is unctuously-textured, with a terrific nose of rose petals, liquid minerals, honeyed pineapple, and hints of sherry. It boasts explosive ripeness, a viscous texture, and tremendous purity as well as length. It will undoubtedly close down in a few years, re-emerge after a decade, and last for 25 years. Anticipated maturity: now-2006; 2012-2025. This is a serious white Hermitage that will be enjoyed by the handful of enthusiasts who appreciate these underrated dry offerings. (Thomas Jefferson thought it was France's single greatest dry white wine.) Not a single new oak barrel can be found in Sorrel's cellars, which are on the main street of Tain l'Hermitage. His one concession to modernism is his air-conditioned cellar. Production is small, with 1,000 cases of white and red Hermitage, and the rest Crozes-Hermitage. Importers: Cynthia Hurley Wine Imports, West Newton, MA; fax (617) 965-7530 and World Wine Import, Atlanta, GA; fax (404) 842-1487
Pale yellow-gold. Honeyed apple, crystallized yellow plum and white flowers on the superripe nose. Spicy, fat and full; a big, rich wine that currently seems a bit unwieldy with alcohol owing to its uncompromising dryness. But the healthy acids should ultimately result in a balanced wine. Quite closed today in the middle palate.