Origins
In 1985, Alain Graillot bought 20 hectares of vineyard in Crozes-Hermitage, near the village of Pont-de-l'Isère. At the time, Crozes-Hermitage was not among the elite of the northern Rhône: great wines were reserved for Saint-Joseph, Hermitage, Cornas and Côte-Rôtie. The idea of making a wine in Crozes-Hermitage to rival its neighbouring appellations seemed absurd. But Alain always knew he wanted to take Crozes-Hermitage Syrah to another level. To do so, he cut yields drastically and began farming the vineyard organically.
A benchmark in the northern Rhône
The wines age spectacularly well yet are also approachable when young. Alain Graillot is without doubt the benchmark for Crozes-Hermitage in the northern Rhône, and today, thanks to his example, many projects in Crozes-Hermitage set out to show the region's true character.
