About This Producer
Described by Clive Coates, MW, as “Quietly confident”, with a “sure, perfectionist touch”, winemaker Anne Gros is uniquely talented in her ability to draw from a rich history of family tradition whilst forging a singularly individual path in the world of wine.
The long established connection between the village of Vosne-Romanée and the Gros family began with the purchase of Clos des Réas in the southern end of the village by Alphonse Gros in 1860. Through the decades the family acquired additional land in Richebourg, Clos de Vougeot, the Echézeaux lieu-dit Les Loächausses and Grands Echézeaux as the family business continued to grow and be divided amongst successive generations.
In the early 1980s a young Anne Gros took over her father’s ailing business and infused it with an artisan’s deep sense of beauty and elegance. In applying her trademark sensitivity and perfectionist touch, the wines of Domaine Anne Gros have now come to represent some of the most sought after wines in the world.
From her father François, Anne Gros inherited three hectares of prized vineyards around the village of Vosne-Romanée and when she took over the business she expanded the holdings to the 6.5 hectares that exist today. The final parcel of land was added to Domaine Anne Gros in 2007, heralding the return of the Grand Cru Echezeaux lieu-dit Les Loächausses, which although inherited by Anne’s father, had been leased for the past 25 years to family members at Domaine Gros Frère et Soeur.
A keen sense of the modern and of the individual is evident in all that Gros does. It is with a quiet confidence that she continually refines her signature style, whether it be in the selection of a contemporary design for her winery, built above ground in contrast to the traditional subterranean dwellings of her neighbours, or in the bold, minimalist design of the labels she introduced in 2001.
In the vineyard, countless hours are spent amongst the vines to ensure a singular expression of each plot of land is brought forth. Eschewing formal labelling of vineyard practises, Gros focuses on acquiring an intimate knowledge of the land. By managing the vineyards according to the principles of lutte raisonnée, she is afforded the ability to adapt and respond to seasonal variation and the ever-changing demands of the vineyard. In her own words, "I understand what each parcel is capable of in terms of quality … Pinot is a difficult varietal to cultivate, it is the most capricious but also the most fantastic."
In the winery red wine is fermented in ceramic lined cement tanks, whites wines in steel. New oak is used in varying degrees according to classification – 80% for the Grand Cru wines through to 30% for regional wines. The resultant wines are supple, elegant and complex, with perfume, texture and structure. They exude a sense of place that is impossible to replicate. It is for this reason that the wines of Anne Gros sit comfortably amongst the great wines of the world.
