Camille Giroud Hautes-Côtes de Beaune 'Au Crêtot' Bourgogne Rouge 2019

Maison Camille Giroud ranks among the most venerable as well as the most dynamic of the boutique négociants in Burgundy.  Founded in 1865, Giroud earned an impeccable reputation over the last 150 years as a specialist in traditional vins de garde.  

In 2001, the family sold Giroud to a wine collector, Joe Wender, and his wife, Napa cult vintner Ann Colgin, of the eponymous Colgin Cellars. They hired wunderkind David Croix not only to manage the distinguished cellar but also to begin acquiring grapes and making first-class wines.  Croix accomplished this goal with flying colors and has now been succeeded by the highly-talented Carel Voorhuis.

With only 2.7 acres of its own vines, this is a true négociant. Giroud  bottles its wines almost by hand and produces small quantities—often just a few barrels—of its own offerings. Since Colgin took over, Giroud  has shrunk its overall production to 75,000 bottles a year, dependent on the harvest.

Maison Camille Giroud has come a long way since 2001. Gone are the heavy wines, replaced by ones coming from ripe grapes and low yields and offering personality, vibrant fruit and soft, approachable tannins. They are to savor young and drink for many years—the epitome of the new Burgundian style.