Gros Frère et Sœur Hautes Côtes de Nuits Rouge, Burgundy, France 2023
The Gros family has been rooted in Vosne-Romanée since 1830, when Alphonse Gros arrived from the Hautes Côtes and planted the first vines of what would become one of the Côte de Nuits's most storied dynasties. Today, four separate Gros estates bear the family name — Gros Frère et Sœur, Anne Gros, Michel Gros, and A.F. Gros — all descending from the partition of Domaine Louis Gros in 1963. Gros Frère et Sœur was born that year when Colette and Gustave Gros combined their shares of the estate. When Gustave died unexpectedly in 1984, their 22-year-old nephew Bernard took the helm, replanting all the estate's parcels with superior clones and expanding the holdings by 12 hectares through the acquisition of land in the hamlet of Concoeur-et-Corboin in the Hautes Côtes de Nuits — precisely the parcel that gives rise to this cuvée. Bernard handed the domaine to his children Elodie and Vincent in 2010; they represent the 7th generation and have further refined the estate's direction, eliminating herbicides, ploughing all soils, and continuing Bernard's commitment to unfiltered wines. The estate's portfolio extends from this Hautes Côtes de Nuits to Grand Cru parcels in Richebourg, Échezeaux, Grands-Échezeaux, and Clos de Vougeot (Musigny).
- Winemaker: Vincent Gros; with Elodie Gros
- Farming: Sustainable. No herbicides; soils ploughed. Hand harvested. Yields restricted to enhance concentration.
- Variety: Pinot Noir 100%
- Terroir: Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits AOC, hamlet of Concoeur-et-Corboin, north of Vosne-Romanée. The 9-hectare red wine parcel was established by Bernard Gros in the late 1990s on limestone and clay soils at higher elevation above the Côte de Nuits. The Hautes Côtes sits above the primary slope, historically cooler, but has benefited considerably from warming conditions — producing increasingly ripe, complete Pinot Noir while retaining the freshness and transparency that distinguish high-altitude Côte de Nuits fruit.
- Vinification: Short vatting; no pre-fermentation maceration. Gentle extraction throughout. The Hautes Côtes de Nuits is vinified with the same care and attention applied to the estate's Grand Cru wines. Light fining; bottled unfiltered.
- Aging: Aged in French oak barrels; wines are not racked during the first year of élevage, resting on their lees for added texture and aromatic development.
- Tasting Notes: Deep cherry-red. Fresh and expressive on the nose with red cherry, raspberry, and light floral notes. The palate is structured and well-integrated, with lively acidity, a warm mid-palate of ripe red fruit, and a clean mineral finish.
- Food Pairings: Roast chicken, duck breast, rabbit with mustard, mushroom risotto, and soft-ripened cheeses such as Reblochon or Époisses.
Gros Frère et Sœur Hautes Côtes de Nuits Rouge, Burgundy, France 2023
The Gros family has been rooted in Vosne-Romanée since 1830, when Alphonse Gros arrived from the Hautes Côtes and planted the first vines of what would become one of the Côte de Nuits's most storied dynasties. Today, four separate Gros estates bear the family name — Gros Frère et Sœur, Anne Gros, Michel Gros, and A.F. Gros — all descending from the partition of Domaine Louis Gros in 1963. Gros Frère et Sœur was born that year when Colette and Gustave Gros combined their shares of the estate. When Gustave died unexpectedly in 1984, their 22-year-old nephew Bernard took the helm, replanting all the estate's parcels with superior clones and expanding the holdings by 12 hectares through the acquisition of land in the hamlet of Concoeur-et-Corboin in the Hautes Côtes de Nuits — precisely the parcel that gives rise to this cuvée. Bernard handed the domaine to his children Elodie and Vincent in 2010; they represent the 7th generation and have further refined the estate's direction, eliminating herbicides, ploughing all soils, and continuing Bernard's commitment to unfiltered wines. The estate's portfolio extends from this Hautes Côtes de Nuits to Grand Cru parcels in Richebourg, Échezeaux, Grands-Échezeaux, and Clos de Vougeot (Musigny).
- Winemaker: Vincent Gros; with Elodie Gros
- Farming: Sustainable. No herbicides; soils ploughed. Hand harvested. Yields restricted to enhance concentration.
- Variety: Pinot Noir 100%
- Terroir: Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits AOC, hamlet of Concoeur-et-Corboin, north of Vosne-Romanée. The 9-hectare red wine parcel was established by Bernard Gros in the late 1990s on limestone and clay soils at higher elevation above the Côte de Nuits. The Hautes Côtes sits above the primary slope, historically cooler, but has benefited considerably from warming conditions — producing increasingly ripe, complete Pinot Noir while retaining the freshness and transparency that distinguish high-altitude Côte de Nuits fruit.
- Vinification: Short vatting; no pre-fermentation maceration. Gentle extraction throughout. The Hautes Côtes de Nuits is vinified with the same care and attention applied to the estate's Grand Cru wines. Light fining; bottled unfiltered.
- Aging: Aged in French oak barrels; wines are not racked during the first year of élevage, resting on their lees for added texture and aromatic development.
- Tasting Notes: Deep cherry-red. Fresh and expressive on the nose with red cherry, raspberry, and light floral notes. The palate is structured and well-integrated, with lively acidity, a warm mid-palate of ripe red fruit, and a clean mineral finish.
- Food Pairings: Roast chicken, duck breast, rabbit with mustard, mushroom risotto, and soft-ripened cheeses such as Reblochon or Époisses.