The new vintage of Alain Graillot's elegant, juicy 2009 Syrocco Syrah from Morocco has just arrived. Graillot is one of the world's great Syrah producers, arguably the finest in the Rhône's Crozes-Hermitage appellation, and this is the 3nd vintage of his Moroccan project that we have shipped. We don't buy this wine simply because Alain is involved. We ship it for the same reason that we ship any wine; because we think it's outstanding.

The story has it that Alain Graillot was cycling in Morocco (hence the tandem bike and palm tree on the label) when he stopped off at Domaine des Ouleb Thaleb, 40km inland from the Atlantic Ocean in the lee of the spectacular Middle Atlas Mountains. A conversation with the Domaine's oenologist, Jacques Poullaine, and a close look at sites in Rommani (pictured here) and Benslimane convinced Graillot of the potential for producing highly elegant Syrah. Et voilà, a fascinating joint venture was born.

The towns of Rommani and Benslimane lie between Casablanca on the Atlantic Ocean and the Middle Atlas Mountains. As such, there is a relatively cool climate thanks to the ocean breezes and an altitude of about 500m. The soil is a mix of red and black clay over a base of limestone and ancient ocean-bed remnants, as well as schist on the higher slopes. The Syrah vines are 10-40 years old. Vineyard work is meticulous, with goblet pruning, hand weeding and hand ploughing, no herbicide or fungicide treatments are used. The grapes were 100% de-stemmed and fermented in closed concrete vats. Daily pump-overs were done, and maceration was completed in 10 days. The wine was aged for 15 months, first in tanks and then finished in barriques from François Frères.
"The wine is from Morocco, between Casablanca and Middle Atlas, a region identified by Graillot as a result of consultancy work there. Bright, light red-purple, it is very fragrant and spicy, with Provence herbs and red berries. The palate is extremely lively and savoury, verging on mouth-watering, and genuinely different and intriguing. 13% alc; cork." 94 points, drink to 2023, James Halliday, The Weekend Australian Magazine , April 14-15 2012