Bernard Faurie Hermitage Bessards Méal 2020

Bernard Faurie Hermitage Bessards Méal is a gold-capsule blend of roughly 60 per cent Les Bessards and 40 per cent Le Méal, assembled at harvest.

Hermitage is the granite hill above Tain-l'Hermitage on the left bank of the Rhône, and its handful of named lieux-dits differ enough that growers have long bottled them separately or in deliberate pairs. Faurie farms just 0.2 hectares of Le Méal, planted in the 1940s; with its direct southern exposure it is perhaps the warmest site on the hill and gives the most layered and hedonistic wine, what he calls a vin noblesse, supplying opulence and texture here. The Bessards fruit comes from his near-100-year-old vineyard on the granite at the western end and provides what he describes as the skeleton, the structure and mineral drive, along with lifted perfume. As with all his reds the fermentation used 100 per cent whole bunches, and the wine was bottled unfiltered and by hand from two used demi-muids.

Extremely long-lived and best left ten years or more. Serve at 16-18°C with roast beef, jugged hare or slow-braised lamb.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.