Domaine des Lises Crozes-Hermitage Blanc 2022

Domaine des Lises Crozes-Hermitage Blanc comes from Les Pends, one of the finest white lieux-dits in the appellation, which Maxime Graillot waited years to get a foothold in.

Crozes-Hermitage spreads around the hill of Hermitage and takes in very different ground, from the flat alluvial terraces of the south to genuine hillside sites in the north. Les Pends is one of the latter: a sloping, south-facing hillside on white clay and chalk, described by the Rhône authority John Livingstone-Learmonth as a high, high-quality terroir. Its appeal is that it ripens fruit fully while the limestone-rich soils hold on to structure and freshness. Graillot secured a parcel in 2014 and owns just 0.4 hectares of densely planted 40-year-old vines, 75 per cent Marsanne to 25 per cent Roussanne. The grapes are pressed as whole bunches and ferment on indigenous yeasts, with maturation in 600-litre demi-muid and 300-litre cigar. Unlike the Alain Graillot white from the alluvial soils of Pont-de-l’Isère, malolactic conversion is not blocked here, as the limestone supplies enough tension on its own.

Drink over the next five to seven years. Serve at 10-12°C with roast chicken, grilled scallops or a mild washed-rind cheese.

*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.