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  • Country ranking ?

    334
  • Producer ranking ?

    4
  • Decanting time

    3h
  • When to drink

    now to 2030
  • Food Pairing

    Lamb with aubergines

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The Story

Cros Parantoux is a premier cru situated in Vosne-Romanée and is now one of the most celebrated wines in all of Burgundy. Whether this is because of the world wide celebrity of Henri Jayer, or whether the quality of this site made the reputation of Henri Jayer is difficult to say but either way, it has been an extraordinary marriage for more than 50 years now. As a result, Cros Parantoux is on almost everyone’s very short list of premiers crus that merit elevation to grand cru status. 

It is a small vineyard, measuring only 1.01 ha (2.5 acres) and there are only two owners, Domaines Méo- Camuzet and Henri Jayer, split 29.5 ares and 71.5, respectively. Jayer, who is now 82 years old, leases the majority of his portion to his nephew Emmanuel Rouget and since 1989, there have been 3 different versions of Cros Parantoux produced

 

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Wine Information

"We tend to count too much on science, when, before, people gave importance to natural things. One thing is certain, the ancients were not dumb, and if they established a tradition it was because of their experience. They tried to eliminate unfavorable elements and preserve what worked best." -Henri Jayer

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Vintage 1999

1999 VINTAGE in Burgundy

The last harvest of the century

Generous yields and exceptional quality for Burgundy's 1999 harvest

Burgundy, France, November 1999 ? The 1999 Burgundy wine harvest was as generous in terms of yield as it was exceptional in terms of quality. According to the Burgundy Wine Bureau (BIVB), the climatic conditions permitted, as happens only rarely, the number of grape bunches per plant to exceed the average of the last five years.

The harvest was marked by sunny conditions and record levels of maturity in the crop. Though there was rain in the last few days, well-tended vines yielded a promising harvest of grapes rich in sugar. Volume is expected to total around 1.5 million hectolitres, which is higher than 1998.

The first two weeks of September in Burgundy saw temperature records being broken and, as a result, well-ripened grapes. Sugars were at an average of 180 g/l (16.8g of sugar yields 1% alcohol) for the Chardonnay grapes, the highest average figure reached at the start of the harvest in the last ten years. In the Mâconnais, levels approached those of 1995 (an exceptional vintage). While the sugar level of the grapes in the Côte Chalonnaise left other years far behind, in the Yonne, it fell between that of 1995 and 1996.

The Pinot Noir grapes also experienced record levels of maturity. One vineyard in the Côte de Beaune yielded grapes with sugars at 230g/l at the beginning of September. In the Côte de Beaune, sugars reached 1995 levels, and in the Saône-et-Loire and Yonne records were broken as well. On average, sugar levels were 25g/l above those for 1988. The polyphenolic structure of the grapes (which determines the colour and structure of the wine) was excellent.

Every gourmet knows that the right balance between sweetness and acidity with food is crucial. The same is true of grapes. The sugar level determines the alcoholic strength of the wine while acidity is responsible for the perfect balance to give a wine its keeping qualities. It is clear that the high sugar levels seen in the grapes this year are matched by excellent levels of total acidity derived from the tartaric acid naturally present in the fruit. In the Pinot Noir grapes, average levels of tartaric acid, at around 7.5g/l, are higher than the average for the last ten years and close to those of 1991 and 1993. Equally, average total acidity in the Chardonnay grapes matches the average of the last decade.

 

From mid-September onwards Burgundy saw the return of rain, especially at night, and this upset the smooth progress of the harvest to some extent. However, the health of the grapes remained excellent and the rain had only limited effects on the quality of the crop, especially in the case of those growers who had the foresight and concern for quality which led them to carry out crop thinning or a green harvest earlier in the season.

At Domaine Latour the picking started on the 17th September with the vineyards in Beaune, the average sugar levels were 12.5% potential alcohol with some vineyards, including the Corton Charlemagne at 14%! Our harvest was finished by 27th thus we avoided much of the heavy rains.

The wines have now finished their alcoholic fermentation and will spend the next 18 months in barrel acquiring structure, flavour and complexity. 

Our two sister wineries in the Valley of the Ardéche and further south in the Var both reported an excellent crop of healthy ripe fruit. 

In the Ardéche isolated patches of spring frost and summer hail reduced our yield, leaving a small quantity of fully ripe and concentrated fruit. The two week harvest began on 2nd September under clear blue skies as the Chardonnay d?Ardéche came in at 13.2° whilst the Grand Ardéche easily made 13.5°. The wines have good rich fruitiness, and supportive acidity which gives excellent ageing potential to these well balanced young wines.

The Pinot Noir at Domaine de Valmoissine enjoyed an exceptional year with optimal levels of sun and rain throughout the growing season. The harvest began on 13th September, and lasted for 10 days. Whilst there was a little rain on the 8th day, all the fruit was harvested at 13.5°. This will be Valmoissines? best year yet, already the wines are showing ample richness, subtleness and a silky smoothness.

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Average Bottle Price

2017 2015 2014 2012 2010 2005
10 870€ +11.2% 9 776€ +42.6% 6 854€ +4.7% 6 544€ +99.0% 3 289€ +171.6% 1 211€

This data comes from the FINE Auction Index, a composite of average prices for wines sold at commercial auctions in 20 countries. The average prices from each year have been collected since 1990. This chart plots the index value of the average price of the wines.

Latest Pro-tasting notes

<10 tasting notes

Tasting note

color

Youthful and Bright

ending

Endless

nose

Open, Complex and Charming

recommend

Yes

taste

Balanced, Youthful and Silky tannins

Verdict

Masterpiece

Written Notes

Ooh la la, ah oui oui. The 1999 Jayer Vosne Romanee Cros Parantoux redefined the word sexy. Martine hailed it as a ‘wild beast,’ and Gil observed, ‘gunpowder and Chinese black oolong tea.’ There was an ocean of fruit here; one had to swim through it to find structure on its shores. This was 1999 at its finest. The pitch was insane, shattering my nose as if it was meant to be an ear drum, and its perfume lingered like memories of a perfect home-cooked meal from Mom. While adolescent, its creamy, purple fruit said it was ready for the draft, and its nose was described as ‘fireworks,’ a ‘chameleon,’ and ‘spearmint.’ Thierry hailed it as ‘brighter, better and fresher’ than the great 1990, a bold statement, indeed. Its flavors were dessert-y without being sweet – decadent, exotic, hedonistic, take your pick. Gil observed, ‘caramel crème brulee,’ and beef and citrus tried to join the party. This wine was bordering on pornographic, and we were all…in awe :).
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Information

Origin

Beaune, Burgundy

Vintage Quality

Outstanding

Value For Money

Good

Investment potential

Very Good

Fake factory

Be Cautious

Inside Information

Production - 1978 until 1996 (Henri Jayer): 3500 bottles / year
Production - 1996 until 2002 (Henri Jayer Reserve): 1400 bottles / year
Production - 1984 until 2012 (Meo-Camuzet): 600 bottles / year (1984 is the first year of production of Cros Parantoux under label of Meo Camuzet). The wine was entirely vinified by Henri Jayer until 1988 included. It is only in 1989 that Jean Nicolas Meo started to produce it. From 1984 to 1986 included, all the wines were filtered (not those with Jayer label) but in 1987 Jean Nicolas Meo decided to stop filtration until nowadays. Please note the 1986 Cros Parantoux is one of the worst of all!
Production - 2002 until 2012 (Emmanuel Rouget): 3500 bottles / year (20% of it was produced since 1989)

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