Ric arrives at Domaine A-F Gros

Anne-Francoise Gros is the cousin of Anne Gros, her father being Jean Gros (brother of Francois Gros). She shares the same grandfather as Anne: Louis Gros. As alluded to in my previous post, Domaine Louis Gros ceased functioning in 1963 and was split into three domaines, one of which was Domaine Jean Gros. Jean had three children (Michel, Anne-Francoise and Bernard), each of whom eventually set up their own individual domaine with holdings derived from Domaine Jean Gros, which was how Domaine Anne-Francoise Gros, based in Pommard, came about in 1988. Domaine Jean Gros itself ceased functioning in 1995. Anne-Francoise married Francois Parent, who also hails from Pommard. When we visited the domaine on the cold morning of 31 October 2018, it was their daughter Caroline Parent who welcomed us at the rather nondescript building. The domaine is now run by Caroline (looking after vinification) and her brother Mathias (management and marketing). Derived from basically the same ancestry, it is not surprising that Domaine A-F Gros has similar holdings in Vosne-Romanee as Domaine Anne Gros. Tasting the 2017s from barrel, I find a certain familial trait running through them: the wines are richly layered with lovely fruit, acidity and supple tannins, packing velvety power and regal elegance hand-in-hand. They affirm the general excellence of the 2017 reds whilst reminding us why the wines of Domaine A-F Gros are so widely revered.

From burgundywinecompany.com

2017 Domaine A-F Gros Moulin-A-Vent. Made from gamay. Lovely color. Open fragrance of dark roses, ripe dark plums, red fruits and dark currants, showing great suppleness with lovely concentration with just a hint of undergrowth and twigs. Structured with smooth tannins, laced with fine subtle acidity and intensity. Very fine.

2017 Domaine A-F Gros Bourgogne Rouge. Beautiful clear purple, proferring an elegant fragrance with a subtle minerally brightness on the palate. Noticeably leaner in structure with fruit that is set more backward. Exudes easy charm.

2017 Domaine A-F Gros Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits. Beautiful pinot tint. Lovely gentle fragrance of cherries and raspberries. Softly rounded and supple with subtle acidity, very harmoniously integrated with a distinct feminine elegance. Excellent. Ten percent new oak.

2017 Domaine A-F Gros Vosne-Romanée Clos de la Fontaine. Monopole. Unique attractive bouquet of warm ripe red fruits with overtones of dry malt and rye. Soft, supple and fleshy with a gentle rosy elegance. Very harmonious, tapering to a gentle rounded finish. Very fine.

2017 Domaine A-F Gros Vosne-Romanée Les Chalandins. Attractive nose of rose petals and darker berries tinged with aromas of steamed rice. Somewhat dryish on the palate though showing good concentration and acidity with refined tannins. Highly attractive.

2017 Domaine A-F Gros Vosne-Romanée Aux Reas. Very rounded lovely bouquet of gentle red fruits and rose petals reaffirmed by very fine concentration and purity of fruit on the palate amidst dryish textures of earthy minerals, displaying a natural unforced expression of pinot noir. Excellent.

2017 Domaine A-F Gros Chambolle-Musigny. Lovely glow of ripe dark cherries and red currants on the nose and palate, displaying great seamless acidity integration and lovely intensity, just slightly dryish. Excellent.

2017 Domaine A-F Gros Savigny-les-Beaune Clos des Guettes 1er. Lovely aromatic lift of gentle ripe cherries and raspberries. Highly supple and fleshy, excellent in concentration and harmony with none of the green elements that tend to shadow some of the wines from this source. Very fine.

2017 Domaine A-F Gros Pommard Pezerolles 1er. Good lift of aromatic ripe red fruits and currants. More prounced and defined on the medium-bodied palate, offering superb presence, sublime acidity and depth, openly structured with great understatement. Excellent.

2017 Domaine A-F Gros Pommard Arvelets 1er. Darker and bigger wine, rich in dark fruits and dark currants. Beautifully ripe, rounded and supple, displaying great balance and sophistication. Not too weighty, finishing well. Excellent

2017 Domaine A-F Gros Ézchezeaux Grand Cru. Beautiful effusive glow, ample in ripe red fruit, beautifully layered on the palate with lovely velvety richness, crisp acidity and excellent concentration with just the right degree of supporting minerals, displaying good linearity throughout its length. Delicious. Quite superb.

2017 Domaine A-F Gros Richebourg Grand Cru. Glorious colour, exuding generous aromas of ripe dark cherries and currants with a hint of malt. Openly structured with superb concentration and very beautifully proportioned with lovely depth and richness, highly subtle in acidity, oozing with gentle power and intensity. Totally harmonious. Outstanding.

Caroline Parent