Alain Graillot Morocco Syrocco Syrah 2016

Syrocco is Alain Graillot's Moroccan Syrah, made in the Zenata hills inland from Casablanca in the lee of the Middle Atlas mountains.

The story goes that Graillot was cycling in Morocco — hence the tandem bike and palm tree on the label — when he stopped at Domaine des Ouled Thaleb, some 40 kilometres from the Atlantic. A conversation with the domaine's oenologist and a close look at sites around Rommani and Benslimane convinced him that the area could produce genuinely elegant Syrah. Those towns lie between the ocean and the mountains at around 500 metres, so the climate is cooler than the latitude suggests, tempered by Atlantic breezes. Red and black clay over limestone and ancient seabed provide the rest. The vines are ten to forty years old, goblet-pruned, hand-weeded and hand-ploughed, with no herbicide or fungicide used. The grapes are fully destemmed and fermented in closed concrete vats with daily pump-overs.

Ready now and good for another five years. Serve at 16–18°C with lamb tagine, grilled merguez or roast eggplant with harissa.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.