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Bernard Faurie Hermitage Bessards Méal 2018

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Bernard Faurie Hermitage Bessards Méal 2018
Producer Bernard Faurie
Region, Country Hermitage, France
Bottle Size 750ml
Case Size 12
Product Code 23350-750

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.

Bernard Faurie Hermitage Bessards Méal 2018

Reviews

“(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

Reviews

“(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

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