Simon first visited Domaine Giraud to taste the 2005s and has worked with the family ever since. In those days, you could see the potential. Today, that potential has been certainly realised.
Domaine Giraud only began bottling their own wines in 1998, previously selling all of their fruit to négociants. It was a brave to break with tradition and craft their own wines, but they were shrewd enough to engage the services of renowned consultant oenologist Philippe Cambie. This led to a dramatic rise in quality in a frighteningly short span of time. When I visited to taste the 2007s, I commented to a colleague that it was one of the most exciting domaines in the Southern Rhône. Ever since this view has not changed – I still consider the estate to be one of the very best and my visit is often one of the most thrilling tasting experiences in the calendar year.
The 2012 vintage in the Southern Rhône was similar to that of Burgundy and other regions in France; wines are high quality but from a small crop due to cool weather in spring during flowering and fruit set. As meticulous as ever, the Girauds were far more conservative than neighbouring vineyards; their yield was one-third smaller than the region’s average as they sought to deliver the highest quality wines that the vintage could offer. They coaxed just twenty hectolitres per hectare out of their weathered old vines in Chateauneuf-du-Pape! Relentless sorting of the fruit was the key to the quality of both the Tradition and Grenache de Pierre in 2012; any fruit that was deemed to be below par in quality was diverted into more humble level offerings.
Indeed, they only made one single vineyard wine in 2012, Grenache de Pierre. Therefore, the Tradition benefited from fruit which would normally have headed into Les Gallimardes (there was so little appropriate fruit in the Gallimardes vineyard it was uneconomical to produce this single-vineyard wine). To say this action has ratcheted up the quality of the Tradition a notch or two is no exaggeration. Robert Parker’s new Rhône reviewer, Jeb Dunnuck, seems to agree. He comments that the estate has produced 'a terrific lineup of wines by the brother and sister team of Marie and Francois Giraud. Their 2011s are certainly near the top of the vintage, with the 2012s looking just as good.'
Domaine Giraud, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Tradition 2012
£295 per twelve bottles in bond
(92-94) points, Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate
Made from old vines, a blend dominated by Grenache, with rest barrel-aged Syrah and 5% Mourvédre. Still in tank, the 2012 Chateauneuf du Pape Tradition has plenty of floral, herb and underbrush notes to go with a core of sweet berry fruit. Medium to full-bodied, rich and textured, with ultra-fine tannin, it should be accessible in its youth yet have a solid 12-15 years drink window. Drink 2015-2027
Domaine Giraud, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, ‘Grenache de Pierre’ 2012
£330 per six bottles in bond
(92-94) points, Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Advocate
Made from 100% old vine Grenache. The cream of the lineup, and possibly the vintage, the 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape Les Grenaches de Pierre is an incredible effort that possesses notions of bouquet garni, pepper, licorice, cassis and crushed stone-like minerality. Full-bodied, powerful and layered, yet also elegant and with terrific intensity and depth, it too should be reasonably approachable in its youth and evolve gracefully for 15 years or more. If you can, don’t miss a chance to latch on to a few of these. Drink 2015-2027
Please note that as production is low in this vintage, our allocation of Grenache de Pierre is down too. Therefore we would ask that anyone wishing to secure a six bottle case of the leading cuvée balances by purchasing a case of the Tradition, which frankly should be no form of hardship with wines of this calibre!