Wine Advisor
Gros Frere et Soeur, Richebourg Grand Cru 2012
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Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
Tasted blind at the annual "Burgfest" tasting in Beaune. The 2012 Richebourg Grand Cru from Domaine Gros Frère & Soeur has another slight reduction on the nose, savoury with Italian cured meat/delicatessen aromas coming through and then a strong scent that bought to mind the word - fishmonger! The winemaking here is more articulated than the terroir. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy red berry fruit, slightly dry tannin with coca sprinkled liberally over the finish. So easy to nail the producer under blind conditions - it is not a bad Richebourg, but outclassed with the ranks of Grivot and indeed, his sister Anne-François's own Richebourg.
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2012 Richebourg Grand Cru comes from Bernard’s 0.68-hectare parcel between Cros Parantoux and Aux Brulees towards the upper part of the slope. It has the best bouquet by far: fragrant redcurrant and raspberry fruit, palpable mineralite and engaging floral scents emerging with time, all very well defined and carrying the oak with ease. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, well-judged acidity and a sense of composure and grace on the focused finish. There are touches of licorice just lingering on the long aftertaste. This is very fine full-bodied Richebourg that is ravishing and decadent. Bernard gave me a superb boogie-woogie rendition of “Amazing Grace” on his Steinway, one that Jools Holland would be proud of, following my tasting of 2012s His grand piano, parked in a cavernous annex of his renovated cellar, is truly something to behold. There it stands against the craggy, fissured limestone walls that form a jaw-dropping juxtaposition against what appears to be the dance-floor at Studio 54. I’ve been visiting this address ever since I started in the wine trade and Bernard Gros’s style has remained unchanged during that period. These are big wines lavished in new oak – always have been and maybe always will be. I cannot help feeling that the range would be improved without resorting 100% new oak on every single cuvee from the village Vosne-Romanee upwards and I sometimes question the practice of heating the wines to 40 degrees for 24 hours to give rounder tannins. Is that over-egging an already very tasty cake? The wines are occasionally subjugated by the new wood and my experience of mature bottles suggests that they never quite shake it off, although there are Burgundy lovers who appreciate that style, perhaps in Japan where Bernard enjoys a strong following. When you start reaching the grand crus, in particular the Richebourg, only then you can see that the intense fruit is able to carry the wood and fully absorb it, allowing the terroir to show through. Bernard Gros is one of Vosne-Romanee’s most entertaining winemakers. I just hope that in future vintages he’ll just retreat a little from the cooperage so that we can see his propitious vineyards. Importer: Atherton Imports, Menlo Park, CA; tel. (650) 328-6639
About the Producer
Domaine Gros Frere et Soeur is located in the Cotes de Nuits wine region of Burgundy, France. It is the most popular of the four Gros family estates in the local village of Vosne-Romanee. Wine lovers have nicknamed it the 'Great Golden Chalice' because of the magnificent golden chalice emblazoned on its label. The Gros family is a well-known local winemaking family, and the current owner is Bernard. Bernard's commitment to improving the quality of his wines, combining traditional winemaking methods with new equipment, has improved many of the inherent deficiencies of Pinot Noir, resulting in a more refined Burgundian wine. His winemaking techniques are first class and he is the only winery in Burgundy to use a concentrator to thicken the wine, in addition to organic fertilisation. The winery is 100% de-stemmed and insists on using natural yeasts from the finest top quality vineyards for fermentation, with no deliberate cold maceration. All red wines are matured in 100% new oak barrels. The style of Château Gros is known for its full-bodied, rich, round and fat wines, which are unforgettable and have many die-hard supporters. Situated in the premier vineyard of the village of Vaughan-Romanée, Château Gros is often the centre of attention at wine tastings and auctions. The winery's current releases include Richebourg Grand Cru, Clos de Vougeot Musigni Grand Cru, Echezeaux Grand Cru and Vosne-Romanee, among others, which are very popular with consumers.
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