I tasted three different lots of the 2020 Crozes Hermitage, picked at very different ripeness levels. One, picked on August 23 at just 11.7 degrees of potential alcohol, was light-bodied, with paper-like tannins but charming, cherry-like fruit. Another, picked September 8–10 at 13.8–13.9 degrees, shows more weight, velvety richness and darker-fruit flavors. The bulk was picked somewhere in between, with lively purple raspberry fruit, a crisp, medium-bodied feel on the palate and a bright, vibrant finish.

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.

Maxime Graillot was confident that he will bottle a La Guiraude from 2018, but the selection hadn't yet been made at the time of my visit. This barrel of 2018 Crozes Hermitage shows superb aromatics, with hints of black tea accenting cassis and blueberry fruit. Full-bodied, rich and velvety, it reveals some chocolaty notes yet remains remarkably fresh on the finish.

Bottled in March 2019, the 2017 Crozes Hermitage walks a tightrope, balancing ample weight against taut acids and herbal, tea-like nuances against cranberries and raspberries. It's full-bodied but fine and elegant, maybe just a touch drying on the finish but a solid effort.

Completely whole cluster as always, the 2016 Crozes Hermitage comes across as slightly ashy and vegetal, yet it has enough green olive, cola and raspberry notes to possess a sense of balance. It's medium to full-bodied, with a silky mouthfeel and a long finish.