2019 Camille Giroud

Chambertin Grand Cru

 

 

97 Points Vinous Media

 

 

"This year, the flight of Chambertins contained brilliant wines from, again, Rossignol-Trapet and Camille Giroud.- Neal Martin, Vinous Media

 

 

$599.00/bottle

Limited - In Stock - Buy Now

 

 

Burgfest is the event whereby the playing field for Burgundy is leveled. The wines are 'disrobed' of their labels, and they are tasted in flights according to their appellations. It is the moment of truth for many producers. As Neal Martin writes, "Do you appreciate a sketch differently, knowing it is by Leonardo da Vinci, a song without knowing it was composed by Bach, sitting on a chair blissfully unaware that it’s an original Eames?"

 

Well, it seems as though 2019 Camille Giroud's Chambertin hit the apex of this year's Burfest, landing in the top echelon of wines. Bravo! 

 

 
 

 

2019 Camille Giroud Chambertin

$599.00/bottle (Limited - In Stock) Buy Now

97 Vinous Media / 96 Jasper Morris

 

The 2019 Chambertin Grand Cru has a pastille-like bouquet that is a little riper, though not quite as crystalline as Rossignol-Trapet. Maraschino cherries commingle with orange zest, crushed stone and violet, though with aeration it coheres nicely, gaining statue. The palate is medium-bodied, with a slightly confit-like entry in which black cherries mix with raspberry and orange rind. It is very well detailed on the finish with a lingering aftertaste that has wondrous sapidity. It's not as well-formed as Rossignol-Trapet, but there is huge potential here. Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting.—Neal Martin, Vinous Media

 

Deep dark magenta. The bouquet suggests immense power, combined with some well-chosen oak. Ravishingly charming if clearly very ripe aromatics, then a critical intensity on the palate with a brilliant firmness of backbone to save the day. Startlingly fine in its very ripe style, but some will find the ripeness a touch too far. Drink from 2029-2039. Tasted: September 2023.—Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy

 


 

Other New Top Burgundy:

 

2020 Olivier Leflaive Batard Montrachet

$849.00/bottle (Limited - In Stock) Buy Now

95-98 Jasper Morris

 

Similar colour, with clearly greater weight immediately obvious, not heavy. Maybe a first hint of honeysuckle. Solid and spicy on the palate, so far away from being ready to bottle let alone drink. Superb intensity of course, extra weight comes mostly at the back of the palate, the acidity holds it up very well, impressive persistence, all very fine indeed. Tasted: November 2021.—Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy

 

2019 Michel Niellon Chevalier Montrachet

$729.00/bottle (Limited - In Stock) Buy Now

96 JM / 95+ WA / 95 BH

 

The Pale colour, with lightest of green reflections, very discreet in bouquet, but demonstrating an obvious sense of power too. Cool fresh white fruit appears, then at mid palate that there is a lemony lift, a very fine tensile thread throughout, graceful not explosive. Class in a glass! Tasted: September 2020.—Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy

 

The 2019 Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru wafts from the glass with aromas of ripe yellow orchard fruit, clear honey, white flowers, toasted almonds and nutmeg. Full-bodied, satiny and layered, it's lively and concentrated, with a deep, enveloping core, racy acids and a long, precise finish.—William Kelley, The Wine Advocate

 

Note: from a .23 ha parcel of vines planted in '62 and '68
Producer note: For readers who may not have heard, the uber-talented yet ever-modest Michel Niellon has passed away. He was one of the very first vignerons that I visited when I first went to Burgundy some 40+ years ago and he was always gracious and welcoming. He will be sorely missed, not only by his family but also by his legion of fans. He is succeeded by his daughter Françoise, son-in-law Michel Coutoux, as well as two grandchildren, both of whom have joined the domaine. With respect to the 2019 vintage, Coutoux commented that "it was yet another hot, dry and precocious growing season. Yields were all over the place as some were normal and some as low as 25 hl/ha due to the one-two punch of frost damage and a poor flowering. This is to say that most of the villages vineyards came in between 50 and 57 hl/ha, but one gave us 45 hl/ha and then several more were in the 25 hl/ha range. At least yields were above what we realized in 2016 but not that much more. We picked from the 7th of September and the fruit was clean with potential alcohols of 12.5 to 13.6% and good pHs. Regarding the wines, I was frankly surprised by their energy and freshness, as well as by the excellent terroir transparency. They should age well but they're so dense that they should also be reasonably accessible young." Fans of the domaine should be aware that the label has been redesigned as of the 2019 vintage and that the Bâtard will not reappear until 2023 or 2024. The vines in Chevalier will be progressively replaced as well over the next few years. Lastly, Coutoux noted that the 2019s were bottled in August 2020

 

Tasting note: Here the wood influence is more apparent with notes of toast and menthol framing the aromas of the cool essence of pear, apple, fennel and jasmine tea. There is another dimension of size, weight and power as well as minerality to the big-bodied and dense flavors that display outstanding length on the balanced, clean and bone-dry finale. At least 5 to 7 years will be necessary as this is presently quite tightly wound.

  

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Ron van Vlaardingen

Fine Wine Sales Director

Grand Vin Wine Merchants

Olympia, WA  98506 | Office: 360.350.4896 x2

www.grandvinwinemerchants.com | ronv@grandvinwinemerchants.com

 
 
 
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Grand Vin Wine Merchants · 2950 32nd Ave SW · Suite A · Tumwater, Washington 98512 · United States (360) 350-4896