Description
Domaine Gros Frère et Soeur, Richebourg Grand Cru
Do you know why, when it comes to legendary Richebourg, we only offer Domaine Gros Frère? Sure, it’s the extreme totality of Pinot Noir and one of the world’s most fiercely coveted cellar magnets, but it’s also a tremendous luxury that’s currently enjoying one of wine’s most jaw-dropping ROIs. In the span of five vintages, the price of Gros Frère’s Grand Cru Richebourg has increased by 70%, and still, it’s the greatest pound-for-pound value by a country mile.
Let’s dive deeper. This hallowed site, shared by an all-star cast, is world renown for producing some of the most complex, perfumed, and intoxicating “pipe dream” Pinot Noirs. For die-hard Burgundy collectors, just hearing “Richebourg” conjures images of liquid gold, but one must be mentally and financially prepared for the competition’s obscene sticker shock: $1,000 for A.F. Gros; $1,800 for Hudelot-Noellat and Pierre Girardin; $2,000 for Jean Grivot; $3,400 for Méo-Camuzet; “ungodly” for DRC. That’s why I constantly return to Gros Frère, one of my personal favorite Burgundy addresses. Theirs is the standout value of the bunch, coolly topping all others in terms of price-to-quality. And while it’s certainly the antithesis of affordable, this elite 2019 release will undoubtedly be among the top cellar investments we can hope to feature. 1-3 bottles per person.
BONUS: For those who want to experience a Gros Frère Grand Cru for nearly three times less, we also have a literal handful of their 2019 “Clos de Vougeot.” Secure 1-2 bottles here.
Warning: A complicated family tree lies ahead. The Gros family arrived in Vosne-Romanée in the 1830s and subsequently launched a winemaking dynasty in Burgundy. Gros Frère et Soeur was formed in 1963 when brother and sister (frère et soeur) Gustave and Colette combined their land inheritance after their father’s holdings from Domaine Gros-Renaudot were split amongst his sons and daughters. A further subdivision occurred when Gustave and Colette’s brother, Jean Gros, divvied up his parcels between his own offspring, Michel Gros, Anne-Françoise Gros (not to be confused with famed Anne Gros, who is their cousin), and Bernard Gros. Instead of forming his own domaine, Bernard Gros took over for Uncle Gustave at Gros Frère et Soeur when he passed away in 1984. Bernard now represents the sixth generation of Gros winemakers. Today, his son Vincent works alongside him.
Richebourg is divided into two lieux-dits, “Le Richebourg” and “Véroilles,” with Bernard and Vincent’s 1.7-acre parcel lying in the latter. Soils are the classic limestone-clay blend and Gros Frère et Soeur farms according to lutte raisonnée principles. They also drastically restrict yields and pruning is done to an almost neurotic extent in order to achieve the greatest levels of ripeness and concentration. In the winery, de-stemmed grapes ferment in stainless steel vats, and the resulting wine ages in 100% new French oak for roughly 16 months. It is always bottled unfiltered and allowed further rest in the cellar before release.
As some of you may know, since 2016, we simply are not allowed/able to taste these wines: they are too allocated, too expensive. As I’ve said with every Richebourg release we’ve offered, I strongly suggest cellaring this as long as humanly possible because the more patient you are, the better it’ll be. However, the profundity and generosity of youthful Gros Frère Richebourg has always blown me away, and I expect the same for the hot and sunny 2019 growing season: “a lovely but tiny vintage,” says Bernard Gros. This should be sweet music for those who simply cannot resist the urge to open one of these Grand Cru beauties soon. If you do decide to open one within the next few years, please decant for no less than two hours before pouring into bulbous Burgundy stems around 60 degrees. Furthermore, make your bottle stretch throughout an entire evening, ideally saving some for day two. This is the peak of Pinot Noir peak, folks: Age lengthily, open sparingly, and savor slowly. Cheers.
