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Hi everyone –

We have something special to kick off the new year.

These two wines, found during my first warehouse walk of 2026 (earlier this week), are near and dear to my heart, as you’ll read below. These are the wines of Maxime Graillot, the son of the legendary Alain Graillot.

We last offered wines from this property in 2023, and I’ve copied my tale of first tasting with Alain and Maxime Graillot below. So longtime readers and followers might recognize part of the post (feel free to skip down to the offers on these 2022 vintages), but if you haven’t read my Graillot story, please check it out. It’s one of my favorites.

Note this offer is available through both Solo Vino in St. Paul and The Vine Shop in Hopkins. Pricing and availability only through Monday.

Jason Kallsen

Northern Rhône 101

Before we get to the wines, let’s do a bit of wine education on the Northern Rhône and Crozes-Hermitage in particular.

The Northern Rhône is a narrow strip that begins near the southern end of Beaujolais (the city of Lyon separates Beaujolais from the Northern Rhône) and continues south to the ‘pinch’ of the hills between the Massif Central and the Alps, at the town of Valence.

Here’s a pretty map from Cellar Tours of the entire Rhône Valley, north and south. Note that this map below doesn’t show the true size of Crozes-Hermitage, which literally wraps around Hermitage. The top map is more accurate, but this one is more visually appealing.

In the Northern Rhône, you find Syrah and Viognier. You also find hills, rocky soils, difficult growing conditions, farmers with calloused hands, and wines with a power to them that can be enchanting and surprising at the same time.

In the Southern Rhône, you find Grenache-based wines. You also find rolling fields of rosemary, easier growing conditions, farmers with manicures (okay, maybe not manicures, but you get what I mean), and wines with a softness and friendly energy like meeting a golden retriever.

That’s the Rhône Valley in a very quick nutshell.

Zooming in on Hermitage and Crozes-Hermitage

One of the best-known regions in the Northern Rhône for top-tier wines is Hermitage, a small area along the river with dramatic views and hillside vineyards. Wines from Hermitage are typically structured, full-bodied, sought-after, and expensive.

Surrounding Hermitage is the region we’re focusing on: Crozes-Hermitage, the flat plateau behind the dramatic hills of Hermitage.

Crozes-Hermitage is big, the soils are varied, and it doesn’t carry the panache of Hermitage (or the price tag for that matter). However, a handful of producers, led by the late Alain Graillot, unlocked the area’s secrets and began making wines that give the ‘big boys’ of Hermitage a serious run for their money.

Memories of meeting Alain Graillot (and Spencer’s first wine)

In 2022, we lost one of the greats in the wine world, a person unknown to many wine drinkers in America but hugely influential in his region (Northern Rhône) and the center of one of my favorite personal wine stories, Alain Graillot. He was 77 years old. (Here’s the Wine Spectator obit.)

In the 1980s, while well established in a career in the agrochemical industry in Paris, Graillot caught the wine bug. He bought a small property near the town of Pont de l’Isère, in Crozes-Hermitage. At the time, the wine press (led by Robert Parker) was notoriously dismissive of Crozes-Hermitage, consistently asserting that it was a far lesser region than its neighbor, Hermitage. But it was the only land that Graillot could afford (his winery was always a bootstrap operation). With some quick education from winemaking friends in Burgundy, some of the best names in the business, he started making wine under his eponymous label.

The critics took notice, and before you knew it, Alain Graillot became the standard-bearer of the potential of Crozes. His wines were racy, lively, soulful, complex, and age-worthy. Graillot left his established career in Paris to move to his property and make wine full-time.

Though this is a relatively common story today, it wasn’t in the 1980s. Back then, it was unheard of for someone to simply ‘catch the wine bug’ and make a successful go at it, especially in France, for there was history, rules, protocol, and established business patterns that were expected to be followed. This was even more so in a traditional region like the Northern Rhône.

In other words, Alain Graillot was a badass.

Fast-forward to the 2000s in Minnesota, and I’m working for the local distributor of Alain Graillot. Our import manager at the time was Annette Peters, whom many of you have heard me talk about as one of my key mentors in the wine business (she now owns Bourget Imports and Domaines and Appellations Imports). Annette opened the first bottle of Graillot for me, and I was immediately hooked. It was unlike any other Syrah I was selling. While the Australians were getting big scores for their inky, higher-alcohol, thick, jammy Shirazes, here was a wine that had lift, energy, and verve, and begged to pair with food.

Quite quickly, I had more Alain Graillot in my personal cellar than any other brand. Granted, it wasn’t a large cellar at the time, but seeing those bottles lined up for future enjoyment always made me smile and appreciate the investment we made in them.

Fast forward to 2007. Spencer was 11 years old, and we wanted to get him to Europe for the first time. We outlined a marvelous trip focusing on Paris, the Southern Rhône, and the Northern Rhône. A highlight for me was a visit to Alain Graillot.

It was May of 2007, and it was a glorious spring. The poppies were in bloom throughout Chateauneuf-du-Pape. A bit further north, in Crozes-Hermitage, the vines were leafing out, but the canopy had not yet covered and hidden the gnarled, twisted trunks. Bees were flying from flower to flower, making the blossom bounce after flying away.

We had an address and a phone number for Alain Graillot scratched on a piece of paper, but that was it. This is before smartphones, so we took out our handwritten directions and maps. I’m insistent on being on time, so we arrived in the area an hour early. Lucky for us.

We drove and drove, and none of the signs matched the words on our instructions. For over 40 minutes, we covered almost every back road in the region, finally giving up and spotting an old man in one of those classic, tiny old French cars in his driveway. I didn’t speak an iota of French, and he spoke even less English, but through hand gestures (drinking wine and saying “A-lahn-grai-OH!” over and over), he finally motioned for us to follow him.

Five minutes later, we were there.

Alain Graillot, like our tour guide in the tiny car, spoke little to no English. But wine people have their own language, and we walked the vineyards and discussed vine age, grape varieties, his history, vintages, soil, and more. We made our way back to the winery, and he said, “We taste the wine, oui?” Heck yeah!

He motioned for me, Angela, and Spencer to head to the barrel room, and he would grab glasses. When he joined us in the cellar, Spencer noticed he was holding four glasses. Spencer shot a look at me, saying, “What do I do?”

Spencer, though growing up around us and wine his whole life, had politely refused every offer we made him as a kid for a thimbleful of wine, but here we were in an important place with an important guy, working!

I said, “Spencer, you’re in France. Do what the French would do.” And he took his glass.

Graillot grabbed his wine thief to get some barrel samples for us. He started with the just-finished 2006 Crozes-Hermitage and filled up our glasses, including Spencer’s.

I still get teary when I say this: Spencer’s first glass of wine was served to him by Alain Graillot.

I couldn’t believe it, and I’m so happy Angela had the wherewithal to snap a picture.

Graillot looked at Spencer. Spencer swirled the wine and looked at the color. He stuck his nose in the glass like he saw us do thousands of times. And then … he GULPED the whole glass. One-shot, straight down the gullet. Graillot started chuckling hard. 

“Good?” he asked Spencer.

“Oui!”

We also met his son, Maxime. At the time, he was a young man just starting out in the wine business, learning from his father, and making wine from vineyards he purchased next to the family operation. We tasted his new wine, called Domaine des Lises, and loved every drop of it.

Dare I say it … I may have enjoyed it more than his father’s wine.

Alain Graillot conveyed his thoughts in broken English: “My son’s wine is good. He’s learning. It will be even better in the future.”

The French Laundry, February 2010

Fast forward three years, and we found ourselves at The French Laundry to celebrate Angela’s 40th birthday.

Every wine list has a bargain. Even an overpriced list like The French Laundry. I searched and searched and finally found it: Domaine des Lises Crozes-Hermitage by Maxime Graillot, priced at a totally reasonable $65.

The sommelier swung by to open the wine and chat, and thanked us for making such a good choice. “Everyone comes here and orders these gigantic Napa Cabs that honestly don’t play well with our food. But it’s what they want to drink when they are here, and it’s what they want to spend. Congrats on not playing that game.”

We still have that bottle:

Today’s two selections, both from 2022

The 2022 vintage in Crozes-Hermitage was shaped by a hot, dry growing season that led to smaller yields but concentrated, healthy fruit. Early warmth accelerated ripening, while drought conditions throughout much of the summer stressed the vines and naturally limited production. Fortunately, timely rainfall in mid-to-late August helped restore balance in the vineyards, allowing grapes to finish ripening with good aromatic development and preserved acidity.

Because Crozes-Hermitage covers a wide range of soils and exposures, quality varied from site to site, but the best producers delivered wines that combine ripe dark-berry fruit, classic Syrah pepper and spice, savory undertones, and well-managed tannins. Overall, 2022 Crozes-Hermitage wines tend to be medium- to full-bodied, expressive, and balanced, offering both immediate drinkability and solid aging potential, with top examples showing depth, freshness, and a distinctly northern Rhône character.

Equinoxe Crozes-Hermitage 2022

Bright, energetic Syrah with a classic northern Rhône soul

Background

Equinoxe is crafted by Maxime Graillot from carefully selected Syrah vineyards in Crozes-Hermitage, emphasizing fruit purity and drinkability. The winemaking approach is traditional yet not heavy-handed, often incorporating partial whole-cluster fermentation and restrained oak use. The goal is to preserve Syrah’s natural vibrancy — letting the grape’s spice, floral tones, and dark fruit shine without burying them under excessive extraction or wood.

The 2022 vintage was warm and generous, yielding ripe fruit while maintaining the lively acidity that defines good northern Rhône Syrah. This is Crozes-Hermitage as it’s meant to be: expressive, honest, and built for the table.

Taste Profile

In the glass, the Equinoxe 2022 shows a deep ruby core with violet edges. Aromas lean toward black cherry, raspberry, cracked pepper, and violet, with subtle hints of olive tapenade and smoked herbs. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied, fresh, and energetic, with juicy red-to-dark fruit, savory spice, and gentle tannins that never overwhelm the wine’s natural lift. The finish is clean and peppery, leaving you ready for another sip. It’s truly “drinky,” to use one of my favorite words.

Food Pairings

This is an incredibly versatile, food-friendly Syrah. Its brightness and moderate structure make it ideal for grilled or roasted meats without overpowering more delicate flavors. Think herb-rubbed pork tenderloin, grilled sausages, or chicken thighs with rosemary and garlic.

The wine’s peppery edge and savory undertones also shine with Mediterranean flavors—dishes like ratatouille, lentil stew with herbs, or mushroom risotto pair beautifully with its earthy notes. For casual pairings, it’s fantastic alongside charcuterie, aged salami, or a simple cheeseboard with Comté or Tomme de Savoie.

This is the kind of bottle you can open on a weeknight, pour generously, and trust it to elevate whatever’s on the table.

Domaine des Lises Crozes-Hermitage 2022

A deeper, more contemplative expression of Syrah

Background

Domaine des Lises is the estate project of Maxime Graillot, built on vineyard parcels planted by his father in the 1990s. These vines sit on gravelly, well-drained soils (see photos above from my visit) near Beaumont-Monteux, an area known for producing structured yet elegant Syrah.

The estate is farmed using biodynamic principles, emphasizing healthy soils, low yields, and wines that clearly speak of place.

Compared to Equinoxe, Domaine des Lises represents a more focused, estate-driven vision of Crozes-Hermitage. The fruit comes from specific vineyard sites rather than a broad regional blend, and the winemaking emphasizes depth, texture, and aging potential while still preserving freshness.

The 2022 vintage offered ripe fruit and concentration, but careful vinification kept the wine balanced rather than heavy. Fermentation is traditional, with measured extraction and subtle oak influence that supports — rather than dominates — the wine’s natural character.

Taste Profile

The 2022 Domaine des Lises Crozes-Hermitage opens with blackberry, blueberry, and black cherry, layered with notes of black olive, smoked meat, licorice, and crushed stone. On the palate, it’s medium to full-bodied, with firmer tannins than Equinoxe, offering a more structured, savory expression of Syrah. The finish lingers with dark fruit, spicy, and earthy complexity.

This wine rewards slow sipping and thoughtful food pairing.

Food Pairings

Domaine des Lises calls for richer, heartier dishes that can stand up to its structure and savory depth. Classic Rhône pairings shine here: braised lamb shanks, beef short ribs, or duck confit beautifully highlight the wine’s dark-fruit and herbal notes.

Its earthy, slightly meaty character also pairs wonderfully with mushroom-driven dishes — think wild mushroom ragù, beef and mushroom stew, or truffle-infused pasta. Game meats such as venison, boar, or pepper-crusted bison make exceptional matches, highlighting Syrah’s natural affinity for bold, rustic flavors.

For cheese lovers, reach for aged Alpine cheeses, Tomme, Gruyère, or even a well-aged Cheddar. The wine’s tannins and savory backbone cut through richness while amplifying the cheese’s nutty complexity.

This is a bottle for slower evenings, cooler weather, and meals that linger.

Buying advice

This is a super cool opportunity for you. Same vintage, same super talented winemaker, two very different expressions. I recommend buying both, and we’ve assembled multi-packs to make it easy to add to your cellar and enjoy over the next ten years.

This offer is available through both Solo Vino Wine Shop in St. Paul and The Vine Shop on Mainstreet in Hopkins. Pricing and availability only through Monday afternoon.

Jason Kallsen
Sommelier and founder/owner of Twin Cities Wine Education

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Offer is open until Monday at 3:00 pm Central Time, or while inventory lasts.