Alain Graillot, Marsanne & Roussane, Crozes-Hermitage Blanc, Rhône Valley, France 2022

The Crozes-Hermitage blanc comes from a 3 hectare plot of gravelly alluvial soils, farmed without the use of pesticides and with minimal intervention. The grapes, 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne, are hand-picked, fermented and aged in 50% 1-year-old Burgundy barrels, 50% stainless steel.

The result is nice butter, brioche, citrus peel and melon notes, with a round, fresh, lengthy finish.

In France’s Northern Rhône 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. 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.