The producer
Domaine des Lises is a Crozes-Hermitage domaine founded in 2004 by Maxime Graillot, a son of Alain Graillot. The red wines include the named Équis cuvée. Certified organic farming, deep ploughing in gravel soils, cover crops sown after harvest and hand picking define the vineyard work. In the cellar, punch-down fermentation keeps around 30% whole bunch for most cuvées. Crozes-Hermitage Rouge shows floral black cherry and fresh acidity, while Équis brings white flowers, bramble fruit, baking spice and a silky finish.
Known for
Organic Crozes-Hermitage reds
Notable facts
- Domaine des Lises was founded in 2004 by Maxime Graillot, a son of Alain Graillot.
- The domaine is certified organic and all harvest is by hand.
- Cover crops are sown immediately after harvest to protect the soil through the next season.
- Most cuvées retain around 30% whole bunch during punch-down fermentation.
- Équis 2021 shows white flowers, bramble fruit, baking spice and a silky finish.
From the atlas
Domaine des Lises
A Northern Rhône Crozes-Hermitage domaine where organic farming, gravel soils and whole bunch fermentation shape red wines with floral fruit and fresh acidity.
At A Glance
| Field | Detail |
| Appellation | Crozes-Hermitage |
| Wine style | Red wine |
| Farming | Certified organic |
| Harvest | Entirely by hand |
| Signature cuvée | Équis |
The Producer
Maxime Graillot founded Domaine des Lises in 2004. He is a son of Alain Graillot. The domaine makes red Crozes-Hermitage, with Équis as a named cuvée. Its work joins organic viticulture and hand harvests to punch-down fermentation with whole bunch retained for most cuvées.
Place
Crozes-Hermitage places Domaine des Lises in the Northern Rhône. The red wine carries the appellation name directly, while Équis pairs that appellation with a separate cuvée name. The range stays close to one red appellation, with the label distinguishing the broader Crozes-Hermitage wine from the named bottling.
Soil And Site
The vineyards are worked in gravel soils. Constant ploughing allows roots to dig deep into the gravel, while herbicides are banned. Cover crops are sown immediately after harvest to keep the soil covered through the next season. Climate change has made ground cover more important, so the sowing follows harvest rather than waiting for the next growing season.
Story
Climate change raised the need to protect the ground between harvests. Maxime Graillot converted the previously conventionally farmed vineyards to organic viticulture, kept the soils constantly ploughed and banned herbicides. Cover crops now follow the harvest, keeping the soil covered through the next season. The farming combines deep ploughing in gravel with a deliberate use of living cover.
Vineyards And Cellar
All grapes are harvested by hand. Fermentation uses punch-downs exclusively, and around 30% whole bunch is kept for most cuvées. Whole bunch fermentation leaves stems with the fruit, which can bring perfume, spice and additional tannin. Punch-downs push the cap back into the fermenting wine, extracting colour and flavour while keeping the cellar work direct and controlled.
Wines
The range centers on red Crozes-Hermitage and includes Équis as a named cuvée. Crozes-Hermitage Rouge is presented through the appellation name, while Équis carries a separate cuvée name within the same red wine category. Équis is associated with semi-carbonic maceration, a method that can give the wine a fuller, softer fruit texture.
In The Glass
Crozes-Hermitage Rouge 2023 is very floral, with sweet black cherry, exotic character and subtle cured meat notes. The palate is fresh and vivid, with nice acidity.
Équis 2021 opens with white flowers, bramble fruit and a slight note of baking spice. The fruit is lush and plush, with strong textural presence. The finish is silky smooth, balanced and easy to drink.
A Bottle To Understand It
Choose Crozes-Hermitage Rouge. It carries the producer and appellation in the same name, giving the bottle a direct label connection to Crozes-Hermitage. The wine comes from hand harvested fruit and punch-down fermentation, with whole bunch used through most of the cuvées. Équis can follow as the named bottling with its separate cuvée name and semi-carbonic treatment.
Anecdote
Maxime Graillot made a deliberate cellar break from his father's whole bunch approach. At Domaine des Lises, he uses less whole bunch, aiming for a peaceful fermentation instead of a rapid one and seeking greater fruit concentration. Whole bunch keeps stems with the fruit, so the change alters the balance between perfume, tannin and fruit texture in the vat. The choice preserves Northern Rhône freshness while moving the wines toward a riper fruit expression and softer texture.
Final Word
Domaine des Lises combines organic gravel soil farming with hand harvests, punch-down fermentation and a measured use of whole bunch in Crozes-Hermitage red wines.
Sources
- https://wineanorak.com/2025/02/19/crozes-hermitage-11-domaine-des-lises-domaine-alain-graillot/
- https://www.skurnik.com/producer/domaine-des-lises/
- https://pjwine.com/products/domaine-des-lises-equis-crozes-hermitage-2021