Structure

Bodymedium
Tanninmedium
Acidityhigh
Sweetnessdry
Oaknew oak

Drinking window

Best 4 to 12 years from vintage.
vintage4 yrs12 yrs14 yrs

Critic scores

No critic score is published for this bottle that we can cite with a reviewer, a vintage and a review year, so none is shown. The rating in the header is our own.

In the glass

Medium-bodiedMedium tanninHigh acidityDryLong, Mineral And Fresh finish

What it pairs with

  • Grilled salmon with herbs
    The wine's mineral freshness and silky tannins pair surprisingly well with grilled salmon.
  • Roast duck with cherry
    Blue and dark fruit in the wine mirrors cherry preparations with duck.
  • Lentil and vegetable soup with smoked paprika
    The wine's mineral quality and herbs match a rustic vegetable-based dish.

How to serve Crozes-Hermitage Equinoxe

Allow 65 minutes from open to pour.

  1. Open and decant. Open 60 minutes before serving and pour into a decanter to aerate.
  2. Serve at 14-16°C. Cellar temperature (14-16°C) is the band for this style. Warmer pushes alcohol forward; colder dampens aromatics.
  3. Glassware. Use a Burgundy bowl with a wide opening: the bowl shape rewards the wine's structure.
  4. Pair with. Grilled salmon with herbs, Roast duck with cherry, Lentil and vegetable soup with smoked paprika. Match the wine's structure to the dish's fat and salt.

History

Maxime Graillot founded his own Domaine des Lises in Mercurol in 2012, separate from his family's historic Alain Graillot domaine. Equinoxe is his flagship Crozes, vinified with precision and minimal intervention.

  1. 2012: Maxime Graillot establishes Domaine des Lises in Mercurol; first vintage of Equinoxe

Facts

Producer
Domaine des Lises (Maxime Graillot) · visiting guide
Grapes
Syrah (100%)
Classification
Crozes-Hermitage AOC
Oak
12 months in old French oak barriques, no new oak
ABV
13.0%
Price
EUR 25-40 at retail
Drinking window
4-12 from vintage
Organic
ECOCERT

Frequently asked about Crozes-Hermitage Equinoxe

What does Crozes-Hermitage Equinoxe taste like?

Structurally medium-bodied, medium tannins, high acidity with a long, mineral and fresh finish.

When should I drink Crozes-Hermitage Equinoxe?

Drink 4-12 from vintage. Young vintages benefit from 30-90 minutes of decanting; mature bottles should be handled carefully for sediment.

What food pairs with Crozes-Hermitage Equinoxe?

Grilled salmon with herbs is the canonical pairing. Other strong matches include Roast duck with cherry and Lentil and vegetable soup with smoked paprika. The wine's mineral freshness and silky tannins pair surprisingly well with grilled salmon.

What grapes are in Crozes-Hermitage Equinoxe?

The blend is Syrah (100%). The wine is classified as Crozes-Hermitage AOC.

Tags

dry hidden gem high acid medium body medium tannin medium term mood elegant mood rustic occasion dinner party occasion weeknight old world organic pairs with poultry pairs with red meat price trade up still red syrah value pick

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