The Graillot name is synonymous with great Syrah in France’s Northern Rhone Valley. Alain Graillot is widely recognized as one of the world’s greatest winemakers, and the scarce nectars emerging from his estate in Crozes Hermitage are amongst the most treasured and sought after wines made anywhere in the world.
You can imagine our delight when we were recently presented with the opportunity to introduce a new line of wines made by Alain’s son, Maxime Graillot, to the Ontario market.
Today is your chance to get your hands on a very special and rare wine. I am thrilled to introduce you to an exclusive and delicious new release – the 2010 Domaine des Lises Crozes Hermitage.
Tune into the video edition of our Wine of the Week:
As a private import selection, this wine is not available in LCBO shops. To purchase this wine, you need to get in touch with us directly. To place an online order for this wine simply Click Here, or place your order by telephone – call us at 1 (800) 337 – 7043.
Three things to know about how the grapes for this wine were grown:
#1: 2010 is a potentially classic vintage in the Northern Rhone valley. Low yields combined with a long warm fall have helped create complex and balanced wines that are great candidates for mid to long range cellaring.
#2: The soils in Crozes Hermitage are quite stony and are comprised of a mixture of sand and clay. The proportions of sand vs. clay in each individual site play a measurable role in the style of the resulting wines. Sites with a higher proportion of sand are noted for generous fruit flavours and aromas, while grapes grown on sites with a higher proportion of clay tend to exhibit more colour and structure.
#3: Unlike the Southern Rhone valley, which is home to a Mediterranean climate, the Northern Rhone is home to a Continental climate. This means that the growing season in Crozes Hermitage is subject to less extreme heat and drought.
Three things to know about how this wine was made:
#1: Grapes for this wine are 100% destemmed. Removal of the stems before fermentation creates a more opulent and rich mouthfeel, aswell as generous fruit flavours and aromas.
#2: This wine spent 12 months in French oak barrels before release.
#3: This wine is comprised of 100% Syrah. Like wines made from Syrah grown in neighbouring Northern Rhone appellations like Cote Rotie, Cornas and Hermitage, the resulting wines exhibit rich black fruit, tremendous balance and a distinctive peppery note.
Tasting Notes:
“Graillot believes 2010 is a more classic vintage than the more opulent 2009, and the 2010 Crozes-Hermitage exhibits a dense ruby/purple color along with good acidity, minerality and notes of black cherries, black currants, earth, spice and pepper. It should drink well for 3-5 years.”
88/100 Points
eRobertParker.com
Food Pairings:
Syrah is a classic match for lamb, but this wine would find a lovely home next to any choice cut of red meat. Ribeye straight off the grill would be a perfect companion for this juicy and refreshing red.
Andrew Hanna is a third generation wine importer and Director of Sales & Marketing at John Hanna & Sons Ltd., one of Canada’s oldest independent wine merchants. He spends his days scouring the earth for handcrafted wines that tell a story about the people and places in each bottle, while sharing these delicious discoveries with wine lovers across Canada.
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