91/100 Although this is not the newest release from Hecht & Bannier, it is drinking nicely now, with mature notes of kirsch and black currante backed by accents of sweet spice, crushed violets and soft leather. Though aged, the mouth is still full and big with gripping tannins and a firm structure. The finish is […]
91/100 H&B’s 2008 Faugeres is rich and complex, with herbal garrigue aromas of lavender and laurel framed against the solid ripe dark berry and cherry fruit core. The mouth is brisk and lively, with vibrant acidity lifting the dark fruit flavors and carrying through to the chocolate-and espresso-flecked close. Good now, but hold for another […]
91/100 A luscious, focused red, with plenty of licorice snap to the muscular flavors of dark berry, plum pudding and dark cherry. The long finish is filled with chocolate and spice accents. Syrah, Mourvèdre and Carignan. Drink now through 2018. 300 cases made – US$ 32 — K.M.
92/100 Having lost part of their usual supplies of Mourvedre and Syrah to hail, Hecht and Bannier sourced some Grenache from the western edge of the appellation for their 2008 Faugeres. A vivid evocation of crushed stone as well as of high-toned intimations of herbal and dark berry and plum distillates runs all the way […]
(93-94)/100 Around 60% Syrah, 30% Mourvedre, and the rest Carignan and Cinsault, Hecht and Bannier’s 2009 Faugeres – tasted as a pre-assemblage – is dominated by very ripe yet fresh blackberry, purple plum, and dark cherry. Seamlessly sweet and finely polished – almost creamy – I concur with Hecht when he claims that « even though […]
(93-94+)/100 Despite the overall shortage of wine in this vintage and their resolute attachment to Mourvedre as a core component, Hecht and Bannier manages to add at least one source and come up with around the same 300 cases of 2010 Faugeres as has characterized their previous vintages. Ripe blackberry and dark chocolate are suffused […]
16/20 – 25€
16/20 Blackish purple. Very intense and almost so ripe that there is not much bouquet discernible yet. Superripe Syrah with Mourvedre ‘and a few drops of Carignan as magic powder’. Just a bit too ripe and dry-farmed for me overall – so far anyway. Quite painful to taste, without the lusciousness of the Minervois or […]
16.5/20 – 25€
14/20 Belle matière un rien en retrait du saint-chinian cette année. La sensation de minéralité est intense – 25€
