Michel Gros is best known for his brilliant red Burgundies from towns like Vosne-Romanée, Chambolle Musigny, and Nuits-St-Georges. But he also holds quite a bit of land in the Hautes-Côtes de Nuits, a patchwork of rolling hills to the west of the Côte d’Or.
His Hautes-Côtes reds here are excellent and exceed the reputation of their humble homeland. But the hilly terroir is also well suited to white wine, and home to Michel’s only white wine — Hautes-Côtes de Nuits “Fontaine-St-Martin” blanc.
With so many excellent reds, one might wonder why Gros bothers with a white at all. But one taste of this wine will settle the question.
The Fontaine-Saint-Martin vineyard is named for an ancient Cistercian abbey dating to 1127. The soil in this special plot is the same mix of marl, clay, and limestone found on the Hill of Corton, and while the Fontaine-St-Martin won’t compete on richness or longevity, its smooth floral quality readily calls to mind the famous Grand Cru.
The 2018 Fontaine-St-Martin blanc is smooth and ripe — ready for enjoyment today. The nose is floral, showing gardenia, white pepper, pears, toasted lemon. The mouth is intense and smooth, at once mouthfilling and fresh. Vinous’s Neal Martin found “attractive tropical tones,” declaring it “a white Burgundy intent on giving pleasure.”
Pair this welcoming, mouthfililng wine with a Sunday afternoon veal stew and wintery weather.
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Gros HCDN Fontaine-St-Martin blanc 2018
bottle price: $45
FREE EAST COAST SHIPPING ON ANY 12 BOTTLES