DOMAINE MICHEL GROS

Michel’s son, Pierre, took over the running of the domaine in spring 2019 – but Michel continues to lend his wisdom and experience.

The Gros family have been vignerons in the village of Vosne-Romanée since 1830. Domaine Michel Gros was created in 1995 when Jean Gros retired and divided the domaine amongst his three children. Michel inherited some magnificent parcels of vines and in 1997 the Ecard family entrusted Michel with the running of their 3.5 hectares in Vosne Romanée and Nuits-Saint-Georges. They now have 18 hectares under vine – half in the Côtes de Nuits and half in the Hautes Côtes. They ensure that yields are kept low, everything is hand-picked and there is a rigorous sorting prior to total destemming. They haven’t chaptalized for a number of years, preferring (only when necessary) to use a juice concentrator for a small percentage of the must. During fermentation, at a maximum of 32 degrees, they use both pigeage and remontage to ensure a gentle extraction. Racking is kept to a minimum. They use between 30% new oak, for the village wines and 50-80% for the 1er crus.

The resulting wines offer great purity and intensity of flavour, and seduce rather than assault the senses. The village wines are from very small vineyard parcels and are ripe, sensual, poised and drink beautifully when young. Hautes Côtes de Nuits Blanc “Fontaine St Martin” is a monopole with the same soil and subsoil as the top part of the hill of Corton – marne and limestone rocks. A 3 hectare, east facing parcel of 10-25-year-old vines. Bourgogne Côte d’Or Rouge from 0.5 hectare on the “other side” of the RN74 in the commune of Vosne. Half 10-year-old vines, half 42-year-old vines. Hautes Côtes de Nuits “Au Vallon” has similar soils to Fontaine St Martin (see below), but a warmer, earlier maturing 3-hectare site, facing fully south, giving more ripeness. Hautes Côtes de Nuits Rouge “Fontaine St Martin” comprises 4 hectares of 30-year-old vines. Vosne-Romanée from Aux Réas, Au dessus de la Rivière and La Colombière. Chambolle-Musigny from 0.69 hectare, 2/3 of which from Argillières, next to Les Musigny and with the same soil, plus four other small parcels.

www.domaine-michel-gros.com