Certain domains are synonymous with their appellation. In Crozes-Hermitage, where there exists a number of worthy wineries, Domaine Alain Graillot is almost universally put at the top of the list. Even as far back as his first vintage in 1985, the wines have been turning heads despite that Crozes back then existed in the shadow of the other highly reputed appellations of the Northern Rhône.

The Domaine makes principally Crozes-Hermitage, with a small percentage of white wine, and they also own a few parcels in both Saint-Joseph and Hermitage. The work in the vines is meticulous and the syrah is vinified in the traditional manner, in whole bunches.

In most vintages, all the parcels are used to make a single cuvée in Crozes-Hermitage. It is only in the most exceptional vintages that the Graillot’s make another wine, La Guiraude, which is the product of the very best barrels.

Alain has taken a step back from the day to day activities at the Crozes winery, but he is far from retired as he has numerous projects outside of France. But he can do so because his sons, Maxime and Antoine, have more than adequately taken over the reins of this fabled estate, assuring that the Domaine Alain Graillot will remain the reference in Crozes-Hermitage.

This vast family estate straddles the vineyards of Saint-Maurice and Vinsobres. From 1997, the date of the last market gardening, the estate abandoned polyculture to devote itself solely to wine. Here, the emphasis is on respect for the soil: preserving the future of the land, such is the concept of work at Domaine Chaume-Arnaud. Since organic and biodynamic practices were adopted several years ago, it is clear that the soils are more alive and that the vines are more motivated, making the wines evaluated towards a more harmonious balance. The hillside with clay-limestone and stony soils offers beautiful southern and south-eastern exposures, where emblematic grape varieties such as Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvèdre and Syrah wonderfully express the richness of the terroir, giving intense wines full of life.
Certified organic and biodynamic.

Is Yves Cuilleron a winemaker blessed with the formidable instincts of a developer, or is he simply a compulsive shopper? He already had a portfolio of vineyards in Côte Rôtie and St. Joseph that were very interesting when we started importing them a dozen years ago. Since then, he’s purchased plots in Cornas, St. Peray, and in the Collines Rhodaniennes, all of which have significantly increased the scope of his range. We suppose that he’s presently on the lookout for a parcel in Hermitage…

Still, Yves Cuilleron is a great wine producer. His red St. Joseph Les Pierres Sèches was recently made available at the SAQ—a first for Cuilleron. The critical reception has been unanimous: “his soft, superb syrahs have impressive textures.” Whatever the vintage, Yves Cuilleron’s syrahs create a solid first impression with their potent fruitiness and entrance with their fleshy follow-through. The whites are often opulent, but also have a certain finesse. All of Cuilleron’s wines are vins de plaisirs that also manage to be deeply serious.

Michel Bettane and Thierry Desseauve named Christine Vernay “The Man of the Year” in the 2012 edition of their Guide Des Meilleurs Vins de France: “Condrieu wines were already the pride of the domaine, but she has improved things still further. Her other major achievement, and perhaps it is the most significant, was perfecting the domaine’s reds…” Such statements are a major honour.

Christine Vernay and her husband Paul Amsellem are lovers of the arts, whether musical or visual. Their sensibilities are evident in the way their finest wines are constructed. With their detailed expressions, the Condrieus are virtuoso interpretations. The reds, especially their Côte Rôties, attain the upper echelons of quality through their exquisite fruit, the dedication to terroir, and their ability to have bodies of density, without any heaviness. These wines are major stars in the vinous universe.

The appellation of St. Joseph is surprisingly slender, and our portfolio boasts two of its top producers. Notably, a distance of only 50 km separates Yves Cuilleron’s property in Chavannay to that of Pierre Gonon in Mauves. The sub-region of Mauves constitutes the historic heart of the appellation, generating the most distinctive syrahs of St. Joseph (just ask the Chaves, whose own domaine is also located here in Mauves). Pierre Gonon exclusively produces wines from this appellation, and they’re mainly reds. The most important wine guides of France have declared the brothers Jean and Pierre Gonon to be among the elite producers of northern Rhône.

We have a strong personal affection for this family. Jean Gonon, who receives visitors to the cellar, is constantly smiling and courteous. He and his brother work rigorously. They grow organically. They tend vineyards on the steepest hills. They make sure to begin the harvest at best possible moment. In short, they are meticulous, hardworking, and deeply talented. Their red St. Joseph is a veritable classic, made without additives or modern vinification techniques. We strongly recommend cellaring them for a few years before drinking.