Domaine des Lises Crozes Hermitage Rouge Equinoxe

Whilst looking after the family domaine with father Alain Graillot, eldest son Maxime has also cultivated his own small holding in Crozes, Domaine Equis, from 6.5 Ha of vines adjacent to the original St-Joseph and Cornas parcels owned by his father. On taking over in 2004 he reduced yields and converted the
previously conventionally farmed vineyards to organics, making sure soils were constantly ploughed (allowing the roots to dig deeper into the gravel) and banned the use of herbicides. The wines have a similar expressive and graceful style to those of Alain Graillot, but are a touch more fruit-forward thanks to greater use of destemming.
Crozes-Hermitage ‘Domaine des Lises’ hails from a single vineyard rocky / gravel-based lieu-dit “Les Picheres” located in the most south-easterly part of Crozes Hermitage planted in the 1980s. The vines are farmed organically and grapes are hand-harvested.
Grapes are hand-sorted and partially de-stemmed with a pre-fermentation cooling of 3-5 days. Fermentation is in temperature-controlled vats over three weeks. 30% whole cluster fermentation with indigenous yeasts. 12-18 months in older Burgundy barrels (inc. Dujac, Arlot and Romanée-Conti): 10% new, 30% one year old, 60% 2-5yo wood.