Alain Graillot was cycling in Morocco when he stopped off at Domaine des Ouled Thaleb, 40 kilometres inland from the Atlantic Ocean. A conversation with the domaine's then-oenologist Jacques Poulaine, and a close look at sites in Rommani and Benslimane, convinced Graillot of the potential for producing highly elegant Syrah. The towns of Rommani and Benslimane lie between Casablanca and the Middle Atlas, with a relatively cool climate thanks to ocean breezes and an altitude of around 500 metres. Fresh ocean air, red and black clay over limestone and ancient ocean-bed remnants: the conditions for scented, juicy Syrah.

The Syrah vines are between 10 and 40 years old, with an average age of 25 years. Overseen by Stéphane Mariot, the vineyard work is meticulous: goblet pruning, hand-weeding, hand-ploughing, and no herbicide or fungicide treatments. The grapes are 100% destemmed and fermented in closed concrete vats, then matured for 15 months, first in tank and then in large oak casks imported from Burgundy from François Frères.

The 2023 is bright and vibrant with a silky core of dark cherry and purple fruits, classy oak and sandalwood spice notes. There is considerable fruit depth, yet the finish is clean, fresh, perfumed and long. A remarkable demonstration of Morocco's surprising potential for genuinely elegant Syrah.