Domaine Michel Gros

domaine michel gros - wimbledon wine cellar

This January’s trip to domaine Michel Gros was quite different to others, as Pierre Gros has had another child and through inheritance, the domaine has managed to add some Richebourg and Echezeaux to its collection of enviable parcels. Pierre, as courteous and patient as ever, spent a couple of hours letting us taste and ask questions about the 2022 vintage which really sees him set his mark on the domaine - the wines are more elegant and polished than ever. The domaine has always had a reputation for deep muscular wines, but this is now changing. The wines are silky, elegant and he is without doubt beginning to rival the other strands of Gros in the village. The Richebourg has seen excellent reviews which is incredible for a first vintage. We hope you enjoy this offer which sees this young name putting his personality on these wines.

"They're ripe but fresh with good terroir expressions and balance. They should age well yet be appealing young." Pierre Gros on the 2022 vintage

"The wines now offer a new layer of finesse and purity of fruit, with a delicate rose petal character, taking their expression to new heights of pleasure and quality. ”

Domaine Michel Gros finds its home in Vosne Romanée - arguably the most famous village of the Côte de Nuits, and the location of many of Burgundy’s most iconic vineyards, including La Romanée, La Tâche, and Richebourg. This village really is a who's who of Burgundy royalty. As you enter the village Jean-Yves Bizot's house is to the right and as your turn left you pass by Michel Gros' house, Anne Gros' house and then Madame Leroy's house. A stone’s throw away from the hallowed soils of Domaine Romanée-Conti - this sleepy little village is a go-to for Burgundy aficionados.

Michel Gros had the great fortune to inherit the renowned Clos des Réas vineyard, a 2 hectare monopole in Vosne-Romanée, owned by the family since 1860. The style of Michel’s wines – concentrated, rich and muscular – followed the style of the traditional wines of the Clos des Réas. However, Michel has now passed the mantle to his son Pierre, an engineer by training as well as an oenologist, who seems to be joining with a greater degree of precision and elegance. The wines now offer a new layer of finesse and purity of fruit, with a delicate rose petal character, taking their expression to new heights of pleasure and quality.

"Worth Seeking Out" Neal Martin, Vinous

"Michel's wines are supremely elegant and age remarkably well" Jasper Morris, MW

Neal Martin, Vinous on the 2022: Last year, I advised readers about a new chapter opening at Domaine Michel Gros. If the page was turning 12 months ago, now we've started reading the chapter. The headline is that they have added two significant Grand Crus to their portfolio, Echezeaux Les Loachausses (they will specify the lieu-dit on the label like all branches of the Gros family tend to do) and Richebourg. Not every day that the latter lands in your lap. These holdings come from Colette Gros. After her brother Gustave died, her inherited parcels were leased to Bernard and Anne Gros under his Gros Frères & Soeur label since she had no children. This contract has simply come to an end, so it was always anticipated. Incidentally, I am pleased to say that Colette Gros is still with us, and I remember her answering the door on a couple of occasions. Bernard and his cousin Anne Gros still have those cuvees from existing parcels, so it is not a case of depriving them of their cuvee, but their production is obviously smaller. I was pleased to bump into Michel walking down the street in Vosne, but he has now retired, so his son, Pierre, is fully in charge.

"This vintage was dry with a lot of summer, significantly warmer than recent vintages, but in June, we had much more rain than usual," he tells me. "In the storm, we had 70mm of rain, but it was showery throughout the month, so there was around 150mm. We didn't have the same issues with drought as in 2020. There is no rot or mildew; therefore, we didn't have to do as much spraying or sorting at harvest. The ripeness is similar to 2018 and 2019, and we didn't have to extract too much during the vinification [twice a day without any cold soak at the beginning]. All the fruit is de-stemmed. The profile of the 2022 is closer to 2019 than 2018, though there is less alcohol, between 12.5% and 13.5%. We started the picking on September 3, and we picked over 15 days - harvests are taking shorter times. The reds will be racked at the beginning of April, and they will be left in tank for five months before bottling.

Have there been any changes since Pierre took the reins?

"When I came back in 2019, I started plowing the vineyards and moved closer to organic. There were just lwo sprays at the beginning of the season that were not organic. In the Hautes-Cotes, we are switching from Cordon to Guyot pruning. We are between the two at the moment, keeping one arm of the vine, though we'll start converting the other arm to Guyot soon. In 2022, we didn't use the must concentrator."

With the new cuvees, this is now a portfolio to be reckoned with, and under Pierre Gros, I think we will see new impetus. I detect a change in tack rather than charting a totally different course, though. I gently asked if they could throw away the must concentrator ... never a good optic for any self-respecting Domaine, even if it is rarely used.

Wines available January 2025

All prices in bond

domaine michel gros ep 2022 - wimbledon wine cellar

Michel Gros Hautes Cotes de Nuits Blanc Fontaine St Martin 2022

Wine Safari Score: 88-91/100 Greg Sherwood MW. Taut yellow stone fruit aromatics lead to a sleek supple palate with plenty of yellow citrus fruit concentration, a hint of caramelised fig, green melon and a delicate tarte tatin richness on the finish. Really attractive and seductive and ready to drink on release.

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£142.00 a case (6 x 75cl)