Domaine Alain Graillot Crozes Hermitage 2019

Deep, glistening ruby. Cherry, blackberry, licorice, cracked pepper and a floral nuance on the highly fragrant nose. Shows fine definition and breadth to its juicy dark fruit, spice and cola flavors, which take on olive and smoky bacon notes as the wine opens up. Leads with fruit, but there's good depth here as well. Finishes long and spicy, with lingering pepper and floral notes and discreet tannins that lend gentle grip.

Juicy and nicely packed with dark cherry and currant notes, this is liberally laced with a sanguine thread. Gains range through the finish from cedar, savory and tar hints. Drink now through 2035. 1,250 cases made, 250 cases imported.

Atypically big, rich and velvety, the 2019 Crozes Hermitage emanates from a vintage whose yields were cut in half by hail. Bottled in March 2021, it delivers rolling waves of ripe black cherries, tinged with understated herbal notes and a long, luxuriously textured finish.