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Michel Gros has made a name for himself as a renowned producer. He’s spent the last 50 years relentlessly working on his craft, exploring what it means to take a classic approach to wine and expanding the resulting flavors. His 2021 Michel Gros Haute-Côtes de Nuits Fontaine Saint Martin Blanc and 2021 Michel Gros Haute-Côtes de Nuits Fontaine Saint Martin Rouge are a perfect example of this work. What meets the eye are a classic chardonnay and pinot noir, but one sip showcases a complex flavor profile. Initially exciting the taste buds, these wines mellow out to a smooth finish as Michel has perfectly balanced the formula for a classic yet intriguing wine.
Why These Wines
The Fontaine Saint Martin estate, a small region in Burgundy, France solely owned by Michel Gros, is one of the greatest unheard of wine regions. The Gros family settled in Vosne-Romanée in 1830, 30 years before Alphonse Gros began cultivating the land with the purchase of his first parcel in 1860.
Michel obtained his first parcels in 1978 and began to laboriously work on the land alongside the help of his father, Jean Gros. In 1995 Jean retired, passing the land down to his four children, allowing Michel to obtain ownership for a portion of the parcels. Now, Michel cares for 23 hectares of property, including sole possession of the single-vineyard Fontaine Saint Martin. He has since committed himself to perfecting Burgundian wine, following his family's wine-making tradition of almost 200 years.
The 2021 vintage resulted in even smaller production than usual. Unfavorable weather resulted in frozen vines and a 40 to 50% loss in production. Luckily, the Haute-Côtes de Nuits were spared, being further up and later developing. By mid-August, weather had improved but the Haute-Côtes de Nuits needed further ripening into September. A late-September rain spell resulted in total damage of one parcel and rigorous sorting of the others. The resulting low production makes this vintage a rare and worthwhile sip.
Refreshing Flavors
The refreshing taste of these wines results from growth at a high altitude across 3.25 ha of land in limestone soil. The calcium from the limestone elevate the grape's acidity and produces a crisp, mineral-driven taste with traces of stone and flint.
With a traditional Burgundian approach, the Haute-Côtes de Nuits Fontaine Saint Martin Blanc includes a vibrant profile of citrus zest, orange, tangerine, and yellow apple. Its flavors are further enhanced by hints of toasty oak and savory spice. With vines over 20 years old, each grape is hand-picked, de-stemmed, and crushed with skins before being pressed and left to macerate and ferment for 10-12 days prior to blending and bottling.
With a seductive aroma, the pinot noir, Haute-Côtes de Nuits Fontaine Saint Martin Rouge, carries a clean taste with notes of red berries. Flavors include tart cherries, raspberries and hints of forest floor and baking spice. The palate is further balanced with acidity and rounded with tannins leaving a long finish that carries on after each sip. With 35 year old vines, each parcel is vinified and aged separately and blended right before bottling. This strenuous task allows Michel to measure the originality of each wine.
Reviews
2021 Michel Gros Haute-Côtes de Nuits Fontaine Saint Martin Blanc: “New oak on the nose with fresh citrus aromas. Vibrant profile with crunchy fruit, lemon zest, orange and tangerine. Savory spice and toasty oak lift the palate. Balanced and vibrant. Refreshing, with good complexity and enough brightness to live for a few years. (Decanter 91 Points)” - Blackwell’s Wines
2021 Michel Gros Haute-Côtes de Nuits Fontaine Saint Martin Rouge: “The 2021 Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Nuits Rouge Fontaine St Martin easily offers the finest bouquet of the Hautes-Côtes with quite delineated, minerally red fruit that are vivid and full of vigor. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, the oak neatly integrated, fine depth and grip with a sappy finish. This is very promising - deserves a couple of years in bottle. (NM)” - Vinous
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