1996 Hermitage

Sorrel describes '96 and '97 as having plenty of acidity, more than either '95 or '94. He is high on the '98 crop, which he said was very ripe and low in acidity: the vines that go into the Greal produced the highest sugars in his experience. Sorrel conducted an experiment in '97 that he liked so much it will become part of his Greal bottling from now on. He harvested about two-thirds of his fruit on September 23, then let the rest hang until the first of October, when he brought in much riper, more concentrated, lower-acid grapes with almost port-like richness. The two cuvees will be assembled for the bottling. (World Shippers & Importers, Philadelphia, PA; Europvin/Christopher Cannan Selections, Waterbury, MA)