Alain Graillot "Clos Somi" Côtes-du-Rhône 2023

Profile & Story

Domaine Alain Graillot, one of the most respected names in France's northern Rhône, was founded in 1985 in Crozes-Hermitage by Alain Graillot, who came to winemaking after a career as an agronomist and time spent at Burgundy's Domaine Dujac; since 2008 the estate has been run by his sons Maxime and Antoine, who farm the stony vineyard sites organically and continue their father's methods of hand-harvesting and whole-cluster fermentation, aging the wines in one- to three-year-old barrels sourced from top Burgundy estates. The broader Côtes-du-Rhône appellation covers a wide stretch of the Rhône Valley and its red wines are typically built around Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, and other traditional varieties of the region. The domaine's Clos Somi cuvée comes from a parcel of old-vine Cinsault, Grenache, and Syrah near Aigueze in the Gard, hand-picked and destemmed, co-fermented together in cement vats, and matured for about nine months in a 1,500-litre foudre, bottled without added sulfites.

Pairing Recommendation

As a light, fresh Côtes-du-Rhône red, it pairs naturally with charcuterie and everyday bistro fare.