There are several ways to define “value” when it comes to wine: One is a bottle that tastes great and is exceptionally well-priced for its category–which is exactly what we offered a couple of days ago with our sub $30 Bourgogne Rouge. Another is to find a wine that offers so much more complexity and pedigree than its humble category suggests–and that is precisely the story with today’s offer. Hauts-Côtes de Beaune is not a historically “sexy” or lauded appellation in Burgundy, mostly because these high elevation vineyards are much cooler than the Premier and Grand Crus. Well, climate change has rectified that. And this particular wine comes from a single vineyard of old Pinot vines, and is made by a highly regarded winemaker in the cellars of a historic Burgundy Maison. Throw in five years of age and I will gladly put this bottle up next to blue chip Premier Crus any day of the week!
Established in 1865, Camille Giroud distinguished itself as a respected Burgundy négociant specializing in "vins de garde"–wines crafted for graceful aging–for over a century. Under the leadership of Lucien Giroud's sons, the company expanded its reputation, carefully selecting vineyard sites and developing a portfolio synonymous with exceptional terroir-driven wines. In 2002, the Giroud family sold to a group of American investors led by winemaker Ann Colgin and her husband Joe Wender (one of this country’s most impressive wine collectors). Ann and her team made the inspired decision to hire the very young and very talented winemaker David Croix, known for his minimalist approach and focus on terroir transparency. Under his guidance the wines became even more acclaimed. In 2016 David left to focus on his own domaine and another top talent, Carel Voorhuis, took the helm.
Carel and the Camille Giroud team source wine from longstanding grower-partners, including the “humble” Hautes-Côtes de Beaune we have on offer today. This is not a kitchen sink cuvée, all the fruit comes from a single vineyard named “Au Crétots,” situated on an elevated plateau at around 400 meters, west of the Côte de Beaune. The landscape here is characterized by undulating terrain, with the name Crêtot potentially derived from French terms describing sunken land. The half-hectare vineyard was planted between 1963 and 2000, so the oldest vines are over 60 now, and they’re strategically planted with a northwestern exposure in Nantoux limestone soils–that is strategically for the 21st Century. Though often too cool to produce “serious” Pinot, the current trend of very hot and dry summers has made this prime terroir for elegant, complex, old-school styled Burgundy.
The winemaking at Giroud has not changed much since Carel took over. Like David he prefers a generally “hands-off” approach, coaxing as much terroir transparency from his fruit as possible. Grapes are hand harvested and 100% destemmed before undergoing slow native yeast fermentation. The wine is then aged 15 months in used barrels before being aged further in stainless steel tanks in order to allow for settling and natural filtration prior to bottling..
Serve “Au Crétots” at cellar temperature in the largest Burgundy bowls you have after a good 30 to 45 minute decant. The high-altitude, cool-climate vineyard imparts a fresh, elegant character with a smooth texture and a bright, lingering finish. Red fruits–Bing cherry, raspberry, currant–dominate the attack, but there’s already some lovely tertiary notes of fallen leaves, damp earth, dried roses, cinnamon, and porcini. It pairs beautifully with roasted poultry and earthy mushroom dishes.
