Alain Graillot came home to Crozes-Hermitage in 1985 after time with Jacques Seysses at Domaine Dujac, and the white here carries that same restraint: 80% Marsanne, 20% Roussanne from 35-plus-year-old vines on very rocky gravel, farmed practicing organic. Ambient yeast, no malo, half a year-old Burgundy barrels and half stainless. So the texture is there without the wine going soft or buttery. Stony mid-palate, orchard fruit, and a line of acid that holds the whole thing upright. Northern Rhône white with the bones left in.
Winemaker Notes
Practicing organic 80% Marsanne, 20% Roussanne 35+ year old vines Very rocky gravel soils Ambient yeast No malo Fermented and aged in 50% 1 year old Burgundy barrels, 50% stainless steel
Professional Ratings
90
VinousMixing 80% Marsanne with 20% Roussanne from over 40-year-old vines growing on sandy soils, the 2023 Crozes-Hermitage Blanc launches with zesty lemon flesh, yellow apple, white flowers and a slice of pear. Medium-bodied and sapid, the 2023 leaves the spotlight with phenolic bitterness on the nuanced finish.
90
Wine SpectatorA distinctive style, with earthy tugs of truffle and beeswax atop lemon cream and pear. Salty and savory through the medium-bodied finish, marked by hints of green almond, herbs and paraffin. Marsanne and Roussanne. 600 cases made, 150 cases imported. - KB
About the Producer
In France’s Northern Rhone Valley, there are few names as revered as Graillot. It was in 1985 that the late, legendary Alain Graillot, who after working with the venerable Jacques Seysses at Domaine Dujac, came back to his home in Crozes-Hermitage to start his own domaine. With each passing year his devotion to the art of making hauntingly delicious Syrah from his organically farmed, stone-laden vineyards, was rewarded with an ever growing and highly dedicated following around the world. Alain’s sons Maxime and Antoine have been in charge since 2008, continuing the legacy set forth by their father. All the work is still completely the same as it ever was: hand-harvesting, organic farming, whole-cluster fermentation, and aging the wines primarily in 1-to-3 year old barrels purchased from some of the top estates in Burgundy. In great years, the domaine also makes tiny quantities of a barrel selection knows as “La Guiraude,” a rare and remarkably complex wine of particular distinction. The domaine’s status as one of the top addresses in all of France is without question and the entire lineup are must-haves for any serious Northern Rhone fan.
