Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage 2019
LOCATION: The Graillot residence and cellars are just outside the village of Pont de l’Isère, about 6km south of Tain-l’Hermitage. The Crozes-Hermitage vineyards are close by, on the flat, rocky land between the Isère and Rhône rivers. The best sites are at Les Chassis and Les Sept Chemins.
SOIL: Around Pont de l’Isère, the soil is formed from alluvial deposits of sand, gravel, rocks and stones. Despite being flat, it drains exceedingly well.
VINIFICATION & AGEING: All the grapes are hand-harvested, from severely-pruned, low-yielding vines. The red Crozes-Hermitage grapes are not destemmed, i.e. 100% whole-cluster. 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 (indigenous yeast) get going, temperatures rise to 30°C, and cuvaison lasts 15 to 21 days. 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
Atypically big, rich and velvety, the 2019 Crozes Hermitage emanates from a vintage whose yields were cut in half by hail. Bottled in March 2021, it delivers rolling waves of ripe black cherries, tinged with understated herbal notes and a long, luxuriously textured finish.
- 92 Points, Wine Advocate, Joe Czerwinski
Tasting Notes
This is a spectacular wine from famous producer Alain Graillot. Aroma contains notes of grilled meat, olive, pepper and smoke. On the palate, the wine evokes a chewy and luscious texture on raspberry jam
Clove notes
Would recommend pairing this with pork, steak and gamey meats
Works well with truffle oil and basil on pizza
LOCATION: The Graillot residence and cellars are just outside the village of Pont de l’Isère, about 6km south of Tain-l’Hermitage. The Crozes-Hermitage vineyards are close by, on the flat, rocky land between the Isère and Rhône rivers. The best sites are at Les Chassis and Les Sept Chemins.
SOIL: Around Pont de l’Isère, the soil is formed from alluvial deposits of sand, gravel, rocks and stones. Despite being flat, it drains exceedingly well.
VINIFICATION & AGEING: All the grapes are hand-harvested, from severely-pruned, low-yielding vines. The red Crozes-Hermitage grapes are not destemmed, i.e. 100% whole-cluster. 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 (indigenous yeast) get going, temperatures rise to 30°C, and cuvaison lasts 15 to 21 days. 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
Atypically big, rich and velvety, the 2019 Crozes Hermitage emanates from a vintage whose yields were cut in half by hail. Bottled in March 2021, it delivers rolling waves of ripe black cherries, tinged with understated herbal notes and a long, luxuriously textured finish.
- 92 Points, Wine Advocate, Joe Czerwinski
Tasting Notes
This is a spectacular wine from famous producer Alain Graillot. Aroma contains notes of grilled meat, olive, pepper and smoke. On the palate, the wine evokes a chewy and luscious texture on raspberry jam
Clove notes
Would recommend pairing this with pork, steak and gamey meats
Works well with truffle oil and basil on pizza
LOCATION: The Graillot residence and cellars are just outside the village of Pont de l’Isère, about 6km south of Tain-l’Hermitage. The Crozes-Hermitage vineyards are close by, on the flat, rocky land between the Isère and Rhône rivers. The best sites are at Les Chassis and Les Sept Chemins.
SOIL: Around Pont de l’Isère, the soil is formed from alluvial deposits of sand, gravel, rocks and stones. Despite being flat, it drains exceedingly well.
VINIFICATION & AGEING: All the grapes are hand-harvested, from severely-pruned, low-yielding vines. The red Crozes-Hermitage grapes are not destemmed, i.e. 100% whole-cluster. 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 (indigenous yeast) get going, temperatures rise to 30°C, and cuvaison lasts 15 to 21 days. 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
Atypically big, rich and velvety, the 2019 Crozes Hermitage emanates from a vintage whose yields were cut in half by hail. Bottled in March 2021, it delivers rolling waves of ripe black cherries, tinged with understated herbal notes and a long, luxuriously textured finish.
- 92 Points, Wine Advocate, Joe Czerwinski
Tasting Notes
This is a spectacular wine from famous producer Alain Graillot. Aroma contains notes of grilled meat, olive, pepper and smoke. On the palate, the wine evokes a chewy and luscious texture on raspberry jam
Clove notes
Would recommend pairing this with pork, steak and gamey meats
Works well with truffle oil and basil on pizza
Northern Rhône native, Alain Graillot, is recognized for his passion of Syrah. Prior to starting his own domaine, Alain worked in Burgundy, where he received guidance from the reputable Jacques Seysses of Domaine Dujac. In 1985, Alain founded Domaine Alain Graillot just outside the village of Pont de l’Isère, about 6 km south of Tain-l’Hermitage. He is now considered one of the most highly sought-after producers in the Northern Rhône due to his exuberant, robust and impeccably made Syrah-based wines.
“Alain has a passion for the Syrah grape from which he makes hand crafted wines of great distinction and enormous elegance" - The Wine Spectator
