2023 Domaine Camille Thiriet, Bourgogne Pinot Noir “Les Chagniots” Red Burgundy, France.
The dark ruby and garnet hued 2023 Les Chagniots by Camille Thiriet starts off youthfully shy and is tighly focused, though not reductive and things get going nicely in the glass with air with the aromatics picking up pretty florals and the silky/ripe medium bodied palate gaining depth within a half hour. There’s an array of black cherry, cranberry, pomegranate and red currant fruit leading the way with subtle whole cluster notes, delicate mineral, saline, faint wood accents, baking spices and herbal tea notes. In her second vintage as an estate grown and bottled winery, Camille Thiriet has hit the ground running, after a few years making some seriously good garage wines, and I was thrilled to get my hands finally on one of her latest efforts, this beautiful Les Chagniots Bourgogne Rouge in the Côte de Nuits Village area of Burgundy. Last year, 2022, was the first year of this wine, which is from 60 years old vines located under the Clos des Langres in the south corner of the appellation with a solid bedrock of ancient limestone.This 100% Pinot Noir saw 40% whole cluster and fermented with natural yeasts and minimal sulfur additions and then aged in used barrels for about 10 months. I was fun to take my time and let this wine fully open, and you can see why there are fans of this winery and I look forward to continue my own journey through the rest of the range here, especially the Pinots, but I there is quite a buzz about the whites too.
Originally, the Domaine Camille Thiriet started as micro-négoce in 2016, their importer Grand Cru Selections, created by Canadian-born winemaker Matt Chittick and Burgundian wine industry professional Camille Thiriet, adding that they made without electricity in their 20-square-meter garage behind Chateau de Comblanchien in the Côte de Nuits, but now the label is a highly sought after one, with a string a outstanding vintages and wines. At first, Camille and her partner, Matt Chittick, assumed roles as modern garagistes, crafting small lot cuvées by hand (and foot) with just enough wine to fill a few old barrels from a network of trusted growers and spending late nights bottling, labeling or waxing by hand, showing the world, that this is a true labor of love. Then came an opportunity to purchase a 4.5 ha domaine in Corgoloin in 2022 and Camille and Matt jumped all in and have a true tiny domaine. With that, they have focused on championing the Cote de Nuits Villages appellation, where this cuvée comes from. Domaine Camille Thiriet now has a total of six hectares and are bottling individual parcels to best showcase their nuanced terroirs, all of which make for some exceptionally limited offerings! Thanks Grand Cru Selections for the details, and Alex Lallos of No Limits Fine Wines for getting the bottle. I think there is more to come from this 2023 effort, but it won’t suddenly grow into a top Premier Cru or the like in the cellar, though that said, it delivers a solid performance and was particularly pleasing with food and company.
($69 Est.) 90 Points, grapelive