Crozes Hermitage 'La Guiraude' Domaine Alain Graillot 2023
The Crozes Hermitage "La Guiraude" from the Domaine Alain Graillot winery is a Syrah made from a selection of the best barrels of the vintage. The winemaking takes place with whole clusters, the malolactic fermentation is carried out in steel tanks, while aging occurs in old oak barrels for 12 months. A very concentrated sip with complex and smoky sensations, with intense hints of aromas of black olives, blackberries and licorice
“La Guiraude” represents the flagship label of Domaine Alain Graillot, founded in 1985 by the eponymous pioneer of environmentally respectful viticulture: herbicides and pesticides banned from the vineyard, yields per hectare drastically reduced, soils worked and rows grassed, an activity carried out with conviction in order to reproduce the great quality of the terroir and the varietal in the realizations of its own winery. The masterful work of this avant-gardist is now carried on by his son Antoine, who continues in the wake of this important tradition: the cuvée is produced only in years considered extremely favorable and is consistently paired with the creations of masters like Chave.
“La Guiraude” from Domaine Alain Graillot is made through the blending of the best barrels of the vintage and thus interprets all the savoir faire of the winery related to the vinification of pure Syrah. The grapes come from the territory of Pont-de-l’Isère, a village nestled at the confluence between the eponymous river and the Rhône, in the lieu-dit Les Chênes Verts, from vines almost entirely planted by Alain in 1986: the soil boasts an extremely draining character, consisting of the alluvial debris of the two watercourses mixed with sand and scattered with a large quantity of pebbles. The harvest is done manually and the vinification involves the use of whole clusters, with a cold maceration period. The direct and gentle pressing initiates fermentation by indigenous yeasts, which lasts up to 21 days. The aging is carried out in used oak barriques, for a period of 12 months.
“La Guiraude” from Domaine Alain Graillot presents itself in a brilliant garnet dress with youthful purple reflections. The nose is powerful and refined, marked by dark fruity tones, notes of licorice, and briny hints of black olive. A nuance of leather is perceived in the background, along with a generous spicy note. The tasting is rich and complex, embroidered around sensations of spices and smoke: the tannic structure expresses itself with determination and grace, while a sensation of silky softness is accompanied by a precise freshness and a persistent mineral finish. A Syrah interpreted with mastery, to be paired with roasted red meats or a platter of aged cheeses.