Alain Graillot, Crozes-Hermitage, 2005
Purplish-plum red colored. Medicinal Band-Aid-idodine stink with some charred flesh-burnt hair aromas. The tannins have smoothed out on this, giving structure to the plummy soft fruit (with oil-cured black olives in the background), but not being as bitingly aggressive as they were only a few short years ago. Despite the softening, this remains serious Crozes, now coming into its drinking window. 13% alcohol. No way anyone with saddle-sense would mistake this for a California wine. A-