2022 Hermitage Le Greal
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Tasting notes
A strong candidate for the title of the wine of the vintage, the 2022 Hermitage Le Greal is gorgeous. Evoking a perfumed, complex and vibrant bouquet of blackberry, rose petal, violet, flowers and dark cherries mingled with lovely notes of lead pencil, it's suave and sappy, complete and deep, with a multidimensional core of fruit and beautifully refined tannins enhanced by an energetic mid-palate that segues into a long, perfumed and ethereal finish due to the use of whole bunches. Truly gorgeous. It should gain raciness with age.
Critic scores
Average Score
Alistair Cooper MW, jancisrobinson.com
Yohan Castaing, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
Dark and brooding, the 2022 Hermitage Le Gréal radiates notes of ripe black cherry, blackberry, dried violet, licorice, cedar and a sprinkle of black pepper. Wafts of graphite add a ferrous touch. Firmly built like a skyscraper, the full-bodied 2022 is a deeply concentrated red Hermitage, yet maintains spot-on balance through vivid freshness, which can partially be traced back to using 100% whole clusters during fermentation. Winding down with flawless elegance on the savory finish, the 2022 requires extended bottle aging before unleashing its full potential. Only 3,600 bottles were produced.
Cask sample. Such a meaty and rich nose, slightly animal and wild. The palate has a cool attack and then come the tannins, which are marked, firm and structured with a core of graphite, smoked meat and herbs. Needs a lot of time for those tannins to integrate, yet there is a generous, rich fruit core to allow that. (AC)