Crozes-Hermitage AC, Northern Rhône. Alain Graillot is one of the defining voices of the Northern Rhône and his Crozes is the reference point for the appellation — the wine that proved Crozes could deliver serious, terroir-driven Syrah without the price tag of Hermitage itself. The 2022 vintage in the Rhône was exceptional: warm and generous, with outstanding ripeness and structure. Expect black olive, smoked meat, graphite, violets, dark plum, and cracked pepper — classic Northern Rhône aromatics with the added richness 2022 brings. Graillot's hand is restrained and precise: whole-cluster influence, minimal new oak, nothing that gets in the way of the granite telling its own story. A must-have on any serious French wine list.