2003 M. Sorrel, Hermitage, Les Rocoules

Sorrel’s flagship white is the Hermitage Les Rocoules. The blockbuster 2003 Hermitage Les Rocoules is so opulent, thick, and honeyed that one would think it should be drunk over the next 4-5 years for fear of oxidation and collapse, but that may not be the case due to the wine’s remarkable concentration and high alcohol (15%). A liqueur of mineral note interwoven with honeyed peaches and citrus emerge from this dense, thick, exceptional white. Already evolved, it can be drunk early in life, but I wouldn’t discount the aging potential of this massive, dry white.

(14. 7% alcohol) Deeper golden-yellow color. Spicy yellow fruits and clove on the nose. At once firmer and more reticent on the palate; fat but less obviously alcoholic. Flavors of peach and spice. Broad and large-scaled, but finer and firmer on the back, conveying more of an impression of shape.