Gros Hautes-Côtes “Fontaine-St-Martin” 22

Pierre Gros (Michel’s son) now steers this iconic estate in Vosne-Romanée, after his father ran it for 45 years. Neal Martin writes “I detect a change in tack rather than charting a totally different course.” Like many of his peer group Pierre has moved the domaine toward organics, and if his first few vintages at the helm are any indication, the future at Gros may be even brighter than the past.

The Fontaine St. Martin cuvée comes from a territory with the same soils and subsoils as the famous Hill of Corton in the Côte d’Or proper to the south. This is more serious wine, requiring more time to round out and drink well than the others from the Hautes Côtes de Nuits. Neal Martin found “plenty of brambly red fruit on the nose” and “commendable purity.” He thought today’s “muscular” finish would ebb with time in the bottle.