Equis Equinoxe Crozes Hermitage Rouge 2020

Equis Equinoxe is the Crozes-Hermitage bottled under Maxime Graillot's négociant label, drawn chiefly from one organically farmed gravel site at Pont-de-l'Isère.

Equis is the négoce arm Maxime Graillot runs alongside Domaine des Lises, working with growers he knows well rather than only his own rows. The Equinoxe cuvée now comes principally from a mature, gravelly vineyard at Pont-de-l'Isère, farmed by a neighbour and friend of the Graillot family who has used neither herbicide nor pesticide for a decade; grower and winemaker plan the season together, and that collaboration has lifted the cuvée considerably in recent releases. Crozes-Hermitage takes in both granite hillsides and these broad alluvial terraces of sand, gravel and rolled stone, which give a rounder, more immediately drinkable Syrah than the steeper northern appellations. Roughly 80 per cent of the fruit was destemmed, and fermentation took place in concrete tank and large wooden tronconique vats with a degree of carbonic maceration. The wine then spent nine months ageing in those same wooden vats.

Ready on release and holding for four or five years. Serve at 16 to 18°C with charcuterie, grilled sausages or a mushroom tart.

*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.