2015
A second auction takes place in Hong Kong in 2015 with some legendary vintages, magnums and this time, wines made by David Croix, 2005s, 2009s… The past joins up with the present and now charts the course for the future.
2016
The Maison remains rather exclusive, but expansion was never its vocation. Carel Voorhuis takes over from David Croix in October 2016. The course charted for the Maison from its origin remains unchanged, whilst pursuing new projects implemented since 2002.
2002
Ann Colgin, who works at Sotheby's, organises an auction in New York. Passion, renown and the market are all gathered in one setting and the auction is a great success.
18th January 2002
The sale document is signed officially. Shortly afterwards, Bernard and François leave the Maison for good.
2007
David Croix is named officially as Manager of Maison Camille Giroud.
From 2001 to 2007
David launches lots of new projects. Grape purchases are revised and new contracts with vine growers are planned in the long-term. The Maison's own vines are monitored as closely as possible. The choice of appellations is reconsidered too: wines of Chambertin, Clos-de-Vougeot, Vosne-Romanée, Meursault, Pommard, Corton-Charlemagne… as well as the climats all find their place within the company again.
A new vat house is built, equipped with temperature control, a sorting table, a de-stemmer, small stainless steel vats and a pneumatic press. The cellar is re-organised and an accurate inventory of the hundreds of thousands of bottles is carried out.
Winemaking and maturation once again give their elegance to the terroirs. Style steps aside discreetly before the purity, flawlessness and characteristic features of the wines.
Classic, collectors' bottles, the Grands Crus, rare wines, 47s, 49s, 59s… all stay put in the cellar. Every year, a very special set of vintages, including Premiers Crus, 76s, 78s, 85s…. is sold as a collection.
2001
Ann Colgin, Joe Wender and a few other investors and lovers of old vintages decide to take over Maison Camille Giroud.
They want to perpetuate the company's tradition, but their wish is to not be too closely involved. So Becky Wasserman is named as Manager. David Croix, a 23-year-old, recently graduated oenologist, joins the Maison in July.
2000
Bernard and François, exhausted by their efforts and weakened by investments, cannot succeed in getting the Maison back on an even keel financially. The decision to sell the company is made. Unable to imagine selling their traditional Maison to huge-scale wine marketers who would squander the treasure stored in its cellars, they agree to entrust the sale to Becky Wasserman.
The 1990s
To mitigate the Maison's serious financial difficulties, Bernard and François decide to break away from family tradition, leaving aside wine purchases and progressively begin to buy grapes.
1993
Bernard and François Giroud buy their first plot of vines in Beaune, in Premier Cru Aux Cras.
1995
The two brothers buy two more plots of vines in Beaune, in Premier Cru Les Cras and Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Au Crétot.
1995
During her annual Bouilland Symposium, Becky Wasserman introduces the Maison Camille Giroud to Joe Wender and Anne Colgin, leading American winemakers and fervent lovers of art and old vintages.
1988
Becky Wasserman, of American origin, established in Burgundy since 1968, becomes the exclusive importer for the Maison Camille Giroud in the USA.
1989
Lucien dies at the age of 86. Bernard and François find themselves alone at the helm.
1967
Due to a lack of space available for an ever growing number of wines in the cellar, Lucien leaves Avenue de la Gare for Rue Pierre Joigneaud. The Maison is now comprised of a fine set of 19th century constructions, with an enclosed courtyard and its production building, huge cellars and a small, but smart-looking house.
Thirty Years' boom post
Second World War
These years mark the end of an era: winegrowing has slowly but surely become distanced from the wine trade. Many growers now produce their grapes, then make and sell their wine without the assistance of merchants. The wine trade has lost its selling power. Long-established Maisons have closed ranks to form one small, united family. The Maison Camille Giroud weathers this great upheaval by staying true to its core values. The only time that counts for this company is time that passes in the cellar. But the company is dormant and sales are sluggish; the Giroud's financial assets slumber in the cellar and generate little profit.
The 1950s
Camille's youngest son, Lucien, takes over the management of the Maison after his father dies. Family tradition remains unchanged. A curious incongruity becomes Lucien's motto:
"Always a buyer, never a buyer."
Indeed, Lucien only buys wines that his fine taster's palate consider to be good for ageing, possessing a little extra character to stand the test of time. Otherwise he rejects them.
Time becomes the Maison's hallmark.
From 1903 to the 1940s
Unlike many other wine merchants, Camille Giroud only buys musts and finished wines. He banks on his talent as a wine maturer to establish the renown of his company. Wines sent down to the cellar to stay there for many years, for decades even, possess full body and strength.
Camille Giroud, his wife and their three children, Léon, Lucien and Ginette, make their home in a splendid mansion located on the Boulevard du Maréchal Joffre.
1903
The Maison takes the name Camille Giroud
and establishes its premises Avenue de la Gare in Beaune.
1865
Camille Giroud, of Swiss origin, marries Miss Deschamps. She is the daughter of a family of coopers and wine merchants long-established in Beaune.
Camille takes over a small family-owned wine trade firm which he renames Maison Giroud Deschamps.
Camille Giroud • 3 Rue Pierre Joigneaux, 21200 Beaune
T. 03 80 22 12 65 • contact@camillegiroud.com
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