Old-School Winemaking, Zero Pretense
Let’s get something out of the way: yes, this is just a Crozes-Hermitage. But if you’re rolling your eyes already, you clearly haven’t met Alain Graillot.
Back in 1985, Graillot set up shop in Crozes—not exactly the epicenter of Rhône prestige at the time—and proceeded to make wines so good that by the early '90s, Robert Parker was comparing them to Hermitage. Not "pretty good for a Crozes," but genuinely "why are you paying more for Hermitage?" good. These days, the secret’s out, but thankfully the prices haven’t caught up with the reputation.
The 2021 Crozes-Hermitage Rouge is classic Graillot: brooding Syrah with a firm handshake, a wild streak, and just enough polish to impress your Burgundy-loving friends. It comes from 30+ year-old vines planted on the rocky plains of Chassis, just south of the hill of Hermitage—so basically in the neighborhood, but without the gated community price tag.
Winemaking here is reassuringly old school. The grapes are hand-harvested, fermented whole cluster with indigenous yeasts in concrete vats, and aged in well-used barrels that don’t try to steal the show. No new oak, no flash, no funny business—just honest, soulful Syrah that smells like violets, black pepper, and a hint of something deliciously feral, and tastes like someone actually cared while making it.
Today, the Alain has passed and the domaine is run by Alain’s son Maxime, who has managed the rare feat of both preserving his father’s legacy and—whisper it—maybe even improving on it. The 2021 shows off his touch: it’s lifted, spicy, full of energy and character, and dangerously drinkable even now, though you’ll be glad if you forget a few bottles in the cellar.
In short, this is the kind of bottle that reminds you why you fell in love with Syrah in the first place—and also why it's worth being on the mailing list. Quantities are limited, because of course they are. Let us know if you’d like a few before it disappears behind a wine list in Paris with a much higher price tag.
A very pure and floral nose with cherries, violets and plums as well. Medium body with velvety tannins and bright acidity. Such a succulent core of redcurrants and violets with minerality and a transparent character to the focused finish.
"The 2021 Crozes-Hermitage from Domaine Alain Graillot is a superb wine (as always). The bouquet is deep, pure and precise, wafting from the glass in a mix of cassis, black raspberries, pepper, espresso, grilled meats, dark soil tones and a generous topnote of smokiness. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and very elegant in profile, with an excellent core of black fruit, fine mineral drive and grip, fine-grained tannins and a long, complex well balanced and peppery finish. First class Crozes that deserves at least a handful of years in the cellar to soften up its backend tannins a bit. This is my favorite Graillot straight Crozes since the beautiful 1989 version!
94 points James Suckling
93 Points, John Gilman, View from the Cellar:
