2019 Crozes Hermitage
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Tasting notes
Deep, glistening ruby. Cherry, blackberry, licorice, cracked pepper and a floral nuance on the highly fragrant nose. Shows fine definition and breadth to its juicy dark fruit, spice and cola flavors, which take on olive and smoky bacon notes as the wine opens up. Leads with fruit, but there's good depth here as well. Finishes long and spicy, with lingering pepper and floral notes and discreet tannins that lend gentle grip.
Critic scores
Average Score
Alistair Cooper MW, jancisrobinson.com
James Suckling
More reviews and scores
A cloud of smoke, plus the aromas of freshly cracked black pepper and a freshly sharpened pencil, are married to subtle blackberry and blueberry fruit. Simultaneously ripe, sleek and very precise, this has almost Burgundian finesse at the long, cool finish. As it aerates, the tannins grow in intensity, suggesting this has excellent aging potential. The last vintage Alain Graillot bottled before his recent death.
Atypically big, rich and velvety, the 2019 Crozes Hermitage emanates from a vintage whose yields were cut in half by hail. Bottled in March 2021, it delivers rolling waves of ripe black cherries, tinged with understated herbal notes and a long, luxuriously textured finish.
Compact and dense nose. Quite rich with a generous streak of acidity and energy through the wine – oak is still integrating but well-judged and a clean ripe mouthfeel. Tangerine and grapefruit notes on the long elegant finish. (AC)