Cros Parantoux, Burgundy: 10 Magnificent Wines (2024)

Cros Parantoux is one of Burgundy’s most respected Premier Cru vineyards, considered by many to be worthy of Grand Cru status.

It is co-owned by some of the best Burgundy producers including, Henri Jayer, Emmanuel Rouget, and Meo Camuzet, who produce incredibly sought-after and age-worthy Pinot Noirs.

Let’s explore everything about Cros Parantoux - the wines’ tasting notes, the 10 best bottles to buy in 2024, whether the wines’ are investment-worthy, the winemaking, and a brief history of the vineyard.

Cros Parantoux Wines: Taste And Characteristics

Cros Parantoux produces rich, full-bodied, and age-worthy Premier Cru Pinot Noir wines in the Côte de Nuits region of Burgundy. 

Expect a dense, black-purple color, smoky aromas, spice flavors, impressive depth, and 12-13% alcohol content.

These wines pair extraordinarily well with duck, goose, and game bird dishes like a roast pike perch.

10 Glorious Cros Parantoux Bottles To Own In 2024

Here are the 10 best Cros Parantoux wines for your collection.

• 1990 Emmanuel Rouget Cros Parantoux 
• 1989 Emmanuel Rouget Cros Parantoux
• 2002 Emmanuel Rouget Cros Parantoux
• 1985 Meo-Camuzet Au Cros Parantoux 
• 1987 Meo-Camuzet Au Cros Parantoux 
• 1988 Meo-Camuzet Au Cros Parantoux 
• 1985 Henri Jayer Cros Parantoux 
• 1990 Henri Jayer Cros Parantoux 
• 1993 Henri Jayer Cros Parantoux 
• 1996 Henri Jayer Cros Parantoux 

1. 1990 Emmanuel Rouget Cros Parantoux ($6,670)

With an intense nose of black fruits and smoky oak, this 1990 vintage wine has an ethereal palate with powdery tannins, sweet floral notes, and a long finish.

2. 1989 Emmanuel Rouget Cros Parantoux ($5,147)

This 1989 vintage red wine has a powerful bouquet of black fruits followed by rich, full-bodied spice flavors and a silky mouthfeel.

3. 2002 Emmanuel Rouget Cros Parantoux ($5,095)

Here’s a 2002 vintage Pinot Noir with an elegant nose of red and black fruit. The palate has fine tannin textures, sappy red fruit, and raspberry coulis flavors with a spicy oak finish.

4. 1985 Meo-Camuzet Au Cros Parantoux ($16,547)

Complex aromas of violets and spice dominate the nose of this wine. The palate has velvety tannins with rich black fruit flavors and a long finish.

5. 1987 Meo-Camuzet Au Cros Parantoux ($6,286)

This 1987 vintage wine has delicate aromas of oak and red berries. It has elegant tannin textures on the palate with red fruit, spice, and mineral flavors.

6. 1988 Meo-Camuzet Au Cros Parantoux ($5,000)

Here’s a red Burgundy wine with impressive depth and a black cherry bouquet. The palate reveals sappy red fruit flavors and emerging touches of orange rind.

7. 1985 Henri Jayer Cros Parantoux ($32,932)

Full-bodied, round, and delicious, this 1985 vintage red wine has complex aromas of black fruit, plums, and red cherries. It has hints of chocolate and spice on the palate with a smooth finish.

8. 1990 Henri Jayer Cros Parantoux ($32,298)

With an ethereal nose of wild strawberry and raspberry coulis, this 1990 vintage red Burgundy has spicy mineral notes on the palate and succulent acids.

9. 1993 Henri Jayer Cros Parantoux ($26,614)

This fine wine has explosive aromas of red cherries on the nose, with black fruit and spice flavors developing on the palate with bright acidity.

10. 1996 Henri Jayer Cros Parantoux ($23,335)

Here’s a Pinot Noir with fresh orange rind and red berry aromas on the nose. The palate is complex with lasting wild strawberry and oaky raspberry flavors.

Investing In Cros Parantoux Wine

Premier Cru Cros Parantoux wines have incredible aging potential and can cellar for around 20- 30 years. In fact, Henri Jayer’s 1990 vintage is still drinkable today! 

These Burgundies also show incredible price appreciations, for example:

• In 2018, the very last wines from Henri Jayer’s cellar, including a box (12 bottles) of 1985 Cros Parantoux, auctioned for over $560,000. That’s more than a 166,000% increase since 1990 when he sold a box for less than $340. 
• Between 2020 and 2021, a bottle of 1985 Meo-Camuzet Au Cros Parantoux appreciated 19% when it rose from $12,780 to $16,552.

Additionally, you’ll spot these wines performing incredibly well at auctions:

• A 15 magnum vertical of Henri Jayer Cros Parantoux spanning 1978-2001 vintages sold for a whopping $1.1 million at the 2018 Baghera Wines auction.
• At the 2019 Bonhams auction, 6 magnum bottles of 1996 Henri Jayer Cros Parantoux sold for an eye-popping $132,273!

If you’re looking to invest in Cros Parantoux, Chenin Blanc, or any other fine wine, a trusted wine investment partner like Vinovest is here tohelp with buying, storing, and selling rare and authentic wines from around the globe.

How Is Cros Parantoux Wine Made?

The vines in Cros Parantoux are tended to meticulously with a rigorous grape selection process and minimal intervention. The wineries keep the yields low to extract maximum fruit intensity.

The grapes are harvested and completely destemmed before macerating for five days below 15℃.

Henri Jayer would routinely barrel the wine in 100% new oak wood and use only natural yeasts before bottling it unfiltered.

Now, let’s go back in time and look at some Cros Parantoux history.

A Brief History of Cros Parantoux

Before Henri Jayer discovered the Cros Parantoux vineyard in the 1950s, the vineyard lay fallow as the phylloxera epidemic of the late 19th century and WW2 halted wine production.

In 1951, Henri Jayer cleared the vineyard and readied the limestone soils for Georges Jayer vines using dynamite.

Neither of Henri’s daughters was interested in winemaking, so he began mentoring his nephew, a young vineyard tractor driver named Emmanuel Rouget. 

In the mid-1980s, Rouget leased some of uncle Henri Jayer’s 1-hectare vineyard and began making his own wine.  

After Henri’s retirement in 2001, Domaine Emmanuel Rouget took over 0.72 hectares, while the remaining 0.28 hectares are owned by Domaine Meo Camuzet and managed by Christian Faurois.

Henri Jayer died in 2006 with the honor of being one of Burgundy’s best producers and is admired by wine critics like Allen Meadows for being a Premier Cru producer who crafted  Grand Cru quality wines.

Invest In A Rare Bottle Of Cros Parantoux Wine Today!

As one of the most revered Premier Crus in all of Burgundy, Cros Parantoux has garnered international attention for its incredibly sought-after and investment-worthy wines.

Check out the Vinovest website and build a collection of fine wine from as far as New Zealand, South Australia, and the United Kingdom, all from the comfort of your home.