2017 Domaine Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage

Alain Graillot has proved beyond a doubt that it is possible to make rich wines from the gently sloped alluvial plain where the Isère River meets the Rhone. His concentrated reds demonstrate all that is exciting about the Syrah grape: black fruit, intense aromaticity, pepper and spice complexity underpinned by crisp acidity and fine tannins.

Graillot works organically, harvesting fruit by hand and fermenting in whole bunches. He chooses to age his wines in used barrels, one to three-years-old, purchased from Burgundy’s best estates. His Crozes-Hermitage is difficult to resist young. Despite the tannins that inevitably come from the inclusion of whole bunches in fermentation, Graillot wines are seldom hard-edged, overly tannic, or in need of extended cellaring. In fact, they are often flat-out delicious very soon after release. That being said, their track record for rewarding patient cellaring is exemplary.

Other Reviews....
Bottled in March 2019, the 2017 Crozes Hermitage walks a tightrope, balancing ample weight against taut acids and herbal, tea-like nuances against cranberries and raspberries. It's full-bodied but fine and elegant, maybe just a touch drying on the finish but a solid effort. Drink 2020 - 2027.
91 points
Joe Czerwinski - Wine Advocate (Feb 2020)

Dark violet. Intensely perfumed aromas of dark fruit preserves, baking spices and potpourri are accompanied by smoky mineral and olive notes that build with air. Densely packed and seamless in the mouth, offering spice-tinged black and blue fruit flavors and violet pastille and candied licorice nuances. Smooth, even tannins build slowly on the impressively persistent finish, which features a resonating suggestion of exotic spices. Drink 2022 - 2029.
92 points
Josh Raynolds - Vinous