Domaine Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage Rouge 2020
Domaine Alain Graillot
Graillot's benchmark Crozes-Hermitage demonstrates why this appellation deserves more respect. The 2020 vintage delivered concentration without losing the nervy acidity and mineral tension that separate Northern Rhône Syrah from warmer-climate expressions. Drink now or hold through 2030.
Kit Aromas
Nose
Ripe blackcurrant and cracked black pepper open the nose, joined by a floral violet note and a stony, almost granitic minerality. Beneath the fruit there's a savory, gamey undertone — cured meat and dried herbs.
Palate
Medium-to-full bodied with supple tannins. Dark berry fruit leads, but the wine's real story is its texture — silky, with a granite-like mineral backbone that adds length and tension. Mid-palate brings cedar and a subtle green olive note that speaks to the Syrah's savory character.
Finish
Long, with lingering blackcurrant, cracked pepper, and a clean mineral close.
- Varietal
- Syrah
- Blend
- 100% Syrah
- Vineyards
- Les Chassis, Crozes-Hermitage AOC
- Alcohol
- 13.5%
- Organic / Biodynamic
- No
Food Pairing
The wine's peppery, gamey Syrah character is a natural match for lamb, while the herbes de Provence bridge to the wine's own herbal complexity.
Alain Graillot planted his first vines in Crozes-Hermitage in 1985, transforming what was considered a lesser appellation into a source of serious, terroir-driven Syrah that routinely overdelivers for its price.
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