Chambolle Musigny 1er cru les Cras 2005 Meo Camuzet

Tasting Note Chambolle Musigny 1er cru les Cras 2005

Aromas of dark cherry and raspberry are the first to emerge, followed by notes of violets and subtle woody spices. On the palate, the clay-based terroir comes through; it possesses a richer fruitiness and firmer structure than the typical Chambolle, with tannins that are delicate yet distinctly present, and acidity that provides a balanced counterpoint to the ripe fruit flavors. The 2005 vintage features small berries, offering depth of flavor rather than heaviness. The finish is savory with a subtle earthy note. It is ready to drink now and feels robust rather than delicate.

Grape Varieties

Pinot Noir on its own, as almost everywhere in the Côte de Nuits. In Les Cras, the clay pushes it towards flesh and structure rather than pure perfume.

Cellaring Potential

This cuvée underwent early malolactic fermentation, leading to rapid maturation. It is best enjoyed by 2025. Decant for about 30 minutes and serve at 16-18°C.

About Meo Camuzet

For decades Domaine Méo-Camuzet owned some of Burgundy's best land without making the wine from it. Étienne Camuzet, mayor of Vosne-Romanée and a deputy for the Côte-d'Or, was too busy with politics, so he leased his vines out to four farmers, one of them Henri Jayer. That arrangement ran on until 2008, when the last tenants retired and Jean-Nicolas Méo finally had every plot in his own hands. He had come back to Vosne-Romanée in 1989, taught by Jayer and by Christian Faurois, son of one of the estate's historic tenants. Fourteen hectares, six Grand Crus (Richebourg among them), ten Premier Crus across four communes, village wines and three Chardonnays. Every plot is vinified and bottled separately. Organic practices without certification, horses on the difficult slopes, around seventeen months in French oak on average, then gravity bottling, unfiltered.

Christian Faurois retired in 2018 after decades running the vines, replaced by Damien Hudelot.

Méo-Camuzet Frère et Sœurs, the négoce arm was set up in the early 2000s with the same family shareholding and is commercially of importance.

Terroir & Climate

Les Cras is located on a mid-slope just north of the village of Chambolle-Musigny and faces due south. It is a warm, inherently sunny location. However, it lies at the head of a combe, a dry valley cutting across the slope, and the air flowing down the valley cools the vineyard. The soil depth is average, but the clay content is quite high, an unusual characteristic in this appellation, where hard limestone predominates. It is precisely this clay that gives Chambolle-Musigny Les Cras a richer body than the surrounding vineyards.

Winemaking

The proportion of new oak barrels is limited to a maximum of half. The grapes are harvested by hand and sorted on a sorting table, then undergo a cold maceration process at approximately 15°C for 3 to 5 days before natural fermentation begins. Pumping over is performed in the early stages, followed by punch-downs in the later stages. At this vineyard, the winemaking process may be conducted a bit more aggressively to enhance extraction. Sulfur is added in extremely small amounts, and the wine is bottled by gravity and unfiltered.

Food Pairing

It pairs well with dishes such as roast poularde or guinea fowl, where the red-fruit lift plays off with the mellow flavors of the pan juices. Coq au vin prepared with Pinot Noir wine is also an excellent choice. It also pairs well with veal served with a cream sauce, as its delicate tannins do not overpower the meat's flavor. Additionally, once the earthy notes begin to emerge, enjoy it with a ragù made with morel or porcini mushrooms.