Maxime Graillot - son of the famed winemaker, Alain Graillot - has not only taken over the daily operations of his father's estate, but also founded a boutique label called Domaine Equis with his business partner, Thomas Schmittel, to express how the farmer is as much a part of the terroir as the soil and vines. They accomplish this goal by working closely with quality growers to remain in sync with every aspect of the winemaking process – vinifying, aging, bottling and marketing – similar to a négociant.
Maxime and Thomas pay close attention to what is happening in the vineyard all year long, decide when to harvest, the way they harvest and the way they make the wine once back at the winery (in Pont de l’Isère). They are very hands-on and take the time to have a relationship with the growers.
Recommended to set auto captions to English. Maxime explains what makes the Crozes-Hermitage area so special.