Collection: Domaine Michel Gros, Vosne-Romanée - Expressions of Interest

Domaine Michel Gros, Vosne-Romanée

The Gros family were one of, if not the first, to 'domaine bottle' in Burgundy. The history and entwined structure of the extended family is a great way to spend an evening and I encourage those interested to do so with a bottle of their Monopole, 'Clos des Réas'!

The wines are 100% destemmed and have a long maceration. They are elegant yet fruitful, very pretty and have fantastic ageing capacity.

In particular, the Hautes-Côtes wines have an incredibly high-toned, nervous, jaw-clenching energy

Producer note: Michel Gros' son Pierre is progressively taking over the domaine and briefly noted that 2023 "was moderately hot but not baking and not as dry as the 2022 growing season. As such, there was neither much hydric stress nor disease pressure in the vines save for a bit of oidium. It was clear early on that yields would be on the higher side and as a consequence we did drop some fruit. There was though a sort of mini-heat wave just before the harvest that caused maturities to spike. We chose to begin picking on the 12th of September and the fruit was clean though it was necessary to sort for underripe bunches. Potential alcohols averaged right at 13% with one wine that hit 13.5%. We had no trouble with the vinifications and overall, 2023 is a vintage of both quantity and quality. Stylistically, it reminds me quite a bit of our 2017s and as such, they should age well yet be appealing young." I repeat for the benefit of Burghound readers who may have missed it, the domaine added two new wines to the portfolio: a .41 ha parcel of Richebourg and a .38 ha parcel of Echézeaux in the climat of Les Loächausses. (Winebow, Inc., www.winebow.com, NJ, Bertrand's Wines, www.bertrandswines.com, TX, Chambers & Chambers Wine Merchants, www.chamberswines.com, CA, Stacole Wines, www.stacolewines.com, FL, all USA; La Réserve, Uncorked Ltd, www.uncorked.co.uk, Farthinghoe Fine Wine, www.farthinghoefinewine.com, Private Cellar Ltd., www.privatecellar.co.uk and Thorman Hunt & Co., www.thormanhunt.co.uk, Lay & Wheeler, www.laywheeler.com, Wimbledon Wine Cellar, https://www.wimbledonwinecellar.com, UK; French Wine Centre, https://frenchwinecentre.com, Australia).

-Allen Meadows, The Burghound

2023 Domaine Michel Gros Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits Rouge - $64

Tasting note: A perceptible dollop of wood frames ripe aromas of cherry, raspberry and a hint of kirsch. There is both good volume and vibrancy to the delicious middle weight flavors that conclude in a bitter pit fruit and mildly warm finale. To enjoy on the younger side.

86-89 points - Outstanding

Allen Meadows, The Burghound

A perfumed and very pretty nose reflects notes of both red and dark berries that are nuanced by floral and discreet spice wisps. The sleek, delicious and refined flavors exude evident minerality on the dusty, youthfully austere and slightly drying finale. It's hard to say if this will better harmonize but for the moment it's less well-balanced.

86-88 points

Allen Meadows, The Burghound

2023 Domaine Michel Gros Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits Rouge 'Au Vallon' - $66

Tasting note: This is aromatically similar to the straight Hautes Côtes with perhaps just a bit more spice influence. There is clearly more volume on the punchy and delicious medium weight flavors that conclude in a more structured if slightly less refined finale that offers slightly better depth. Worth checking out.

86-89 points - Outstanding

Allen Meadows, The Burghound

2023 Domaine Michel Gros Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits Rouge 'Fontaine Saint-Martin' - $68

2023 Domaine Michel Gros Nuits-Saint-Georges 'Les Chaliots' - $145

Just north of ‘Les Saint Georges’ and east of ‘Les Poirets’. According to Michel, the vineyard produces wines with an incredible finely detailed mineral character while maintaining an abundance of fruit.

Tasting note: A slightly more elegant nose freely offers up its blend of plum, crushed anise and a similar touch of humus-tinged earth. The lilting, precise and even finer middle weight flavors possess a beguiling texture that carries over to the moderately austere but not really rustic finale that is shaped by firm but relatively fine tannins. This should repay mid-term keeping of up to a year yet be approachable after only 4 to 6 years.

87-90 points

Allen Meadows, The Burghound

2023 Domaine Michel Gros Gevrey-Chambertin 'La Platière' - $145

Tasting note: Here too there is a 'wild' character to the raspberry, cherry, earth and sauvage-inflected nose. The sleek and delicious, if not especially dense, middle weight flavors possess slightly better length on the dusty and youthfully austere finale.

87-90 points

Allen Meadows, The Burghound

2023 Domaine Michel Gros Morey-Saint-Denis 'En la Rue de Vergy' - $159

A vineyard that sits directly above Clos de tart Grand Cru. With thin topsoil, the resultant wines are mineral and light on their feet as well as having oodles of complexity.

Tasting note: Ripe, cool and airy aromas are comprised by notes of wild cherry, raspberry and subtle spice nuances. The refined and highly energetic flavors exhibit both good detail and minerality on the dusty and moderately austere finish that presently comes up a bit short. Like several of the wines in the range, it's difficult to predict whether better persistence will eventually appear.

87-90 points

Allen Meadows, The Burghound

2023 Domaine Michel Gros Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru - $229

A blend of Aux Murgers and Vignerondes that connect, Vignerondes is to the south. Both have lighter soils with Murgers having more sand and gravel and Vignerondes with more Comblanchien limestone. The result is a wine with brooding fruit of Nuits Saint Georges but a little more finesse like Vosne Romanée.

Note: from old vines in Murgers and Vignerondes

Tasting note: An exuberant nose of freshly crushed cherry layered with earth, floral and spice wisps gives way to vibrant and delicious if not especially concentrated middle weight flavors that also terminate in a bitter pit fruit-inflected finish where a similar touch of asperity makes itself known.

88-91 points

Allen Meadows, The Burghound

2023 Domaine Michel Gros Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru 'Les Brûlées' - $349

Situated in the Combe de Conceour and as any Combe throughout the Côte, is on varied soil. This combined with varying aspects makes it particularly hard to pinpoint the style of the wine produced by Les Brulees. The name would suggest a very warm site however this is not necessarily the case and there are north facing aspects as well as the cool breeze that comes down from the Hautes Côte, through the Combe de Conceour. It is often said, including by Allen Meadows, that if Les Brulees was in any other village than Vosne Romanée, it would almost definitely be a grand cru.

Note: 35+ year old vines that abut their parcel of Richebourg in Verroilles

Tasting note: Top notes of kirsch and jasmine tea adds interest to the ripe aromas of mostly poached plum scents. There is a lovely sense of underlying tension to the acceptably concentrated medium weight flavors that flash good minerality on the youthfully austere, dusty and sneaky long finish where a more subtle hint of asperity appears.

89-91 points

Allen Meadows, The Burghound

50% new wood is used for the 1er Cru vineyards. Glowing ruby purple with a heavenly perfume like the village but more intense. Darker fruit behind, some wood tannins again, and very good length. One change in vinification at this domaine is no longer to heat the tanks during post-fermentation maceration, thus improving purity and precision. Drink from 2029-2035. Tasted Mar 2025.

92-95 points

Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy

2023 Domaine Michel Gros Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru 'Clos des Réas' - $349

Clos des Reas is the only premier cru monopole in Vosne Romanée. The current walls that encompass the vineyard were built between 1800 and 1810, the Gros family purchasing the 2.12 hectare vineyard in 1860. The high walls and buildings to the east protect the vineyard from the harsh cool winds from the north and east. In regard to soil, it is a little different, and in turn results in a supremely elegant wine - the top 50 centimetres is red soil with limestone, the subsoil is oligence marlwith salmon veins and large limestone blocks. The result is a wine with finesse and suppleness.

Note: a 2.12 ha monopole with vines averaging 40+ years of age

Tasting note: Here too there are top notes of kirsch and exotic tea to the airier and more elegant aromas of the essence of red and black pinot fruit. The lilting, vibrant and succulent medium-bodied flavors possess a generous mouthfeel while displaying solid length on the bitter pit fruit-inflected finale that is firm enough will need most of a decade to resolve the supporting tannins.

89-92 points

Allen Meadows, The Burghound

A sound and solid crimson purple. Different in shape, much rounder through the middle, more dark fruit at the back, easily covering the tannins, and exceptional length. This is extremely impressive. Drink from 2030-2038. Tasted Mar 2025.

94-96 points (red five star wine)

Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy

2023 Domaine Michel Gros Clos Vougeot 'Grand Maupertuis' Grand Cru - $550

Note: from .20 ha parcel; note that Gros uses the atypical spelling of Maupertuis, e.g., with an "s"

Tasting note: An unusually perfumed nose, at least for Clos de Vougeot, reflects notes of red cherry, dark raspberry and newly turned humus-tinged earth. Like the Clos des Réas, the mouthfeel of the middle weight flavors is decidedly generous if not especially dense, all wrapped in a punchy, detailed and youthfully austere finale that is slightly firmer.

90-93 points

Allen Meadows, The Burghound

2023 Domaine Michel Gros Échezeaux 'Les Loachausses' Grand Cru - $575

Note: from a .38 ha holding

Tasting note: The spicy essence of various red berries and poached plum enjoys additional nuances by hints of tea, violet and a whiff of oak toast. The seductively textured, round, rich and plush medium weight flavors flash solid power on the sappy, balanced and sneaky long finish that also exhibits just a touch of youthful austerity.

90-93 points

Allen Meadows, The Burghound

The domaine uses 100% new wood for their top wines such as the Grands Crus, which came in at 14.5% alcohol. A deep purple. Quite different. Greater intensity with less of a Michel Gros vinification style. There is perhaps just something a little bit earthy at the back. Drink from 2031-2036. Tasted Mar 2025.

92-95 points

Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy

2023 Domaine Michel Gros Richebourg Grand Cru - $1430

Note: from a .41 ha holding in the climat of Les Verroilles

This possesses the spiciest nose in the range with a wonderfully broad-ranging array of red and dark cherry, exotic Asian-style tea and a similar whiff of oak toast. The rich, powerful and quite serious larger-bodied flavors exude evident minerality on the powerful, muscular and lingering finale where touches of acid tang and warmth appear. I suspect that the acid tang will eventually dissipate as the high level of gas is regulated when the wine is racked for the bottling.

91-93 points

Allen Meadows, The Burghound

An even bright ruby purple. In its youth, the 100% new oak shows a little, though well married with the fruit. There is darker fruit in the mouth, unexpectedly and perhaps a higher octane feel at 14.5%, with plums as well as berries in the fruit profile. There is definitely potential for further positive development here. Drink from 2033-2040. Tasted Mar 2025.

94-96 points

Jasper Morris, Inside Burgundy