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Marc Sorrel
Hermitage · Rhône · France
Domaine Marc Sorrel is one of Hermitage’s smallest traditionalist estates, farming roughly three hectares on the granite hill above Tain-l’Hermitage — yet its parcels sit among the appellation’s most prized lieux-dits. The Sorrel family has tended vines here for generations; Félix registered the domaine in 1928, Henri began estate bottling at the end of the 1970s, and Marc took the reins in the early 1980s, expanding holdings in Le Méal, Les Greffieux, Les Bessards, the family monopole Les Plantiers, and the great white climat Les Rocoules. Since the 2019 vintage, Marc’s son Guillaume has led the cellar after years as keeper of the vines.
“Le Gréal and Les Rocoules — Hermitage distilled from Méal, Greffieux and century-old Marsanne.”
The flagship red, Le Gréal, blends old-vine Syrah from Le Méal and Les Greffieux (the name fuses the two climats), with a touch of Marsanne for lift; Les Rocoules is the iconic white, largely Marsanne from plantings that reach back to 1928. A classical Hermitage rouge and blanc and a little Crozes-Hermitage from Larnage complete the range. The house remains resolutely traditional: seasoned oak, substantial whole-cluster fermentation under Guillaume, no fining or filtration — wines of perfume, density and long ageability rather than modern polish.
