Domaine Michel Gros

In Vosne-Romanée, the Gros name carries great prestige. The family has been making wine here for seven generations. The Domaine Michel Gros winery, situated in the very heart of the village, owns 23 hectares of vineyards in the Côte de Nuits region and is currently run by Pierre Gros, Michel’s son and a representative of the seventh generation.

History

The Gros family has been involved in viticulture in Vosne-Romanée since the early 1800s. A key moment in recent history was the retirement of the family patriarch, Jean Gros, in the early 1990s and the division of the extensive family estate, Domaine Jean Gros, amongst his four children: Michel, Anne, Bernard and Anne-Françoise, each of whom received their share of the vineyards and established their own independent estate.

Michel inherited the most significant asset: the entire ‘Clos des Réas’ monopole, a Premier Cru vineyard that the family has owned continuously since 1860. He began managing his share of the family vineyards in 1978, starting with 2 hectares in the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits, and in 1979 built the current winery in Vosne-Romanée. Michel was twice nominated for the title of ‘Red Winemaker of the Year’ by the IWC. In 2019, Pierre Gros took over as winemaker.

Vineyards

The estate covers 23 hectares across several appellations. The centrepiece is the Clos des Réas, a 2.12-hectare Premier Cru monopole situated on a small hill overlooking the Réas valley, where the average age of the vines is 50 years. The Village Vosne-Romanée plots include La Colombière and Aux Réas, covering a total of 0.92 hectares with vines averaging 40 years old. The Grand Cru holdings include a plot in Clos de Vougeot. The portfolio is complemented by plots in Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, Morey-Saint-Denis and Hautes-Côtes de Nuits.

Terroir

The estate’s plots are situated on the classic Côte de Nuits mix of limestone and marl, with variations in clay content and depth that give each plot its own distinct character. Clos des Reaux is situated on a gentle rise with a slight north-easterly slope, which gives it a cooler character and slower ripening compared to the warmer southern slopes of the Premiers Crus and Grands Crus. The plots in the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits are situated at a higher altitude, with lighter, stony soils, which allows for the production of wines with fresh acidity.

Grape varieties

Pinot Noir makes up the vast majority of the estate’s vineyards. A small amount of Chardonnay and Aligoté is used to produce white wines in the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits and Bourgogne Blanc ranges.

Winemaking

All grapes are harvested by hand and sorted. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled vats, with the cap temperature not exceeding 30°C. New oak barrels are used sparingly, around 20%, depending on the appellation level of each wine. White wines undergo a 24-hour maceration on the skins before barrel ageing to soften the acidity and add texture. The focus is on restraint, allowing the character of the terroir to define the wine, rather than the winery’s techniques.

Wines

The range begins with the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits, both red and white, followed by Bourgogne Rouge. Village-level wines include Vosne-Romanée and Nuits-Saint-Georges. The Premier Cru Clos des Réas is the flagship wine for which the entire estate is renowned. Clos de Vougeot is a Grand Cru. Total annual production amounts to around 12,500 cases across all appellations.