Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage 2022
(Northern Rhone, France) - [JS 94]

About the Winery:
Northern Rhone's legendary Alain Graillot, the man who put Crozes-Hermitage on the fine wine map, founded his domaine in Crozes-Hermitage in 1985, and rapidly became one of the most in-demand producers in the Northern Rhone for his exuberant, robust, and complete Syrah-based wines. Alain owns about 50 acres of over 30-year-old Crozes-Hermitage vines on the flat alluvial plain between the Rhône and Isère rivers, in well-draining soils of sand, gravel, and stones. He also has two tiny parcels in St. Joseph, from which he makes a slightly fresher, more early-drinking wine than the remarkable Crozes-Hermitage that constitutes the majority of his production. There's also a small quantity of Crozes-Hermitage Blanc, made from 35+-year-old vines, 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne. Alain turned over duties to his son Maxim in 2008, who continues to harvest by hand and work organically, employing whole-cluster fermentation and aging the wines primarily in 1-to-3 year old barrels purchased from some of the top estates in Burgundy.

Winemaking:
All the grapes are hand-harvested, from severely-pruned, low-yielding vines. The red Crozes-Hermitage grapes are not destemmed. They are loaded into lined concrete vats, and temperatures are brought down to 18°C for a 2 to 5 day pre-fermentation maceration. Once vinifications get going, temperatures rise to 30°C, and cuvaison lasts 15 to 21 days. The young wines are aged for one year - 80% of them in one to 3 year old oak barrels, the remaining 20% in vat. They are given a light filtration but no fining before bottling. 

Ratings & Reviews:

94 Points - James Suckling:
"A textural, balanced and harmonious red with such patina already. The nose shows notes of dark cherries, fresh plums, forest floor and warm spices. Medium-bodied with fine tannins. Dense and velvety, with a kick of peppercorns. Juicy, vivid and fresh finish. Drink or hold." - (Jun 2024)