Marc Sorrel had just bottled his 1999s before my visit. The closed, backward 1999 Hermitage Le Greal seemed to have more potential when I tasted it last year. It is medium-bodied, with tart acidity, and a sweet nose of strawberry and black cherry fruit intermixed with earth, licorice, and a touch of pepper. An herbaceous character emerges as the wine sits in the glass. In the mouth, refreshing acidity gives up-lift, but the weight, substance, and fat of a top Hermitage are lacking. This is a rare case where a northern Rhone 2000 is better than its 1999 counterpart.Not a single new oak barrel can be found in Sorrel's cellars, which are on the main street of Tain l'Hermitage. His one concession to modernism is his air-conditioned cellar. Production is small, with 1,000 cases of white and red Hermitage, and the rest Crozes-Hermitage.Importers: Cynthia Hurley Wine Imports, West Newton, MA; fax (617) 965-7530 and World Wine Import, Atlanta, GA; fax (404) 842-1487
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