2012 Maranges, Le Croix Moines, 1er Cru, Camille Giroud, Burgundy
Critics reviews
Neal Martin - 30/12/2013
About this WINE
Maison Camille Giroud
Established in 1865, Maison Camille Giroud has a rich heritage rooted in Burgundy’s winemaking tradition. Initially a specialist négociant, they sourced wines from esteemed growers across the renowned Côte d’Or region, ageing them meticulously in their cellars for decades to achieve peak maturity.
In 2001, a consortium, including Napa Valley winery owner Ann Colgin and wine investors, took over, aiming to blend tradition with modern techniques and a terroir-driven approach. This led to innovations, like wooden presses and open vats, under the dynamic winemaker David Croix.
Most wines continued to be crafted from carefully selected grapes, many from old vines. Their commitment to natural winemaking practices, including native yeast fermentation and minimal intervention, set them apart.
In 2016, Carel Voorhuis continued the legacy of crafting pure, terroir-driven wines, maintaining Maison Camille Giroud’s reputation for excellence in Burgundy.
Maranges
Maranges is the southernmost wine appellation of the Côte de Beaune and not as well known as it deserves to be for its robust red wines. The AC only came into existence in 1989 with the amalgamation of the villages of Cheilly, Dezize and Sampigny.
- 140 hectares of village Maranges.
- 100 hectares of premier cru vineyards (20 in all). Best vineyards include La Fussière
Though a very small amount of white wine is made, the lion’s share is Pinot Noir – firm, sturdy wines which need a gentle hand to manage the fruit. Normally drunk best at three to five years old.
Recommended Producers:
Contat Grangé, and Camille Giroud who has made a speciality out of Marange wine since 2004
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is probably the most frustrating, and at times infuriating, wine grape in the world. However when it is successful, it can produce some of the most sublime wines known to man. This thin-skinned grape which grows in small, tight bunches performs well on well-drained, deepish limestone based subsoils as are found on Burgundy's Côte d'Or.
Pinot Noir is more susceptible than other varieties to over cropping - concentration and varietal character disappear rapidly if yields are excessive and yields as little as 25hl/ha are the norm for some climats of the Côte d`Or.
Because of the thinness of the skins, Pinot Noir wines are lighter in colour, body and tannins. However the best wines have grip, complexity and an intensity of fruit seldom found in wine from other grapes. Young Pinot Noir can smell almost sweet, redolent with freshly crushed raspberries, cherries and redcurrants. When mature, the best wines develop a sensuous, silky mouth feel with the fruit flavours deepening and gamey "sous-bois" nuances emerging.
The best examples are still found in Burgundy, although Pinot Noir`s key role in Champagne should not be forgotten. It is grown throughout the world with notable success in the Carneros and Russian River Valley districts of California, and the Martinborough and Central Otago regions of New Zealand.
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Description
Made from very old vines, this is pure clear and delicious. It is earthy style but the fruit is glorious with great weight, beautiful balance, tannins present but enrobed by the fruit. With all the length you could want, this impeccable wine is such a favourite of ours every year.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Wine Director
Winemaker and general manager, David Croix, has been grumbling that he feels he has the temperament of a grower rather than the deal-making knack of a born negoçiant, so he hasn’t found it easy to fill the cellar in 2012. We also find that tasting with him feels like being in a grower’s cellar, though Camille Giroud only owns a couple of vineyards. There are, nevertheless, one or two really exciting new wines here this year, notably the Volnay Santenots, and the whole cellar is on top form.
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