Domaine Anne Gros Echézeaux ‘Les Loächausses’ Grand Cru 2022

Why is this Wine so Yummy?

This vineyard joined us in 2007 and it is 0 Ha 76 placed in the lieu dit les Loachausses.

It is coming by inheritance from my father François and was rented to the Domaine Gros Frère et Soeur for 25 years.

The age is 43 years old. It was pruned in Royat style until 2010 when I decided to follow his evolution with Guyot style, better adapted to the situation.

I began to plough and eliminate weed killers. A true happiness to work the land still alive with a beautiful brown soil with little rocks and even some small fossils !!!

The vineyard reacted very soon with an extremely early maturation. Perhaps the most advanced terroir of the Domaine…

The first vinification showed a delicate structure with marvellous silky tannins, velvet fruit with a touch of spices, that was confirmed with the next vintages.

Ageing in barrels (30% new oak).

About Domaine Anne Gros

Like so many estates in Burgundy the Gros family has over time been split, combined, added to etc. The family tree below helps put all of this into context.

Anne Gros, the only daughter of François Gros, has established a solid character and reputation in the wine world after taking over her father’s domaine in 1988.

At 25 years old, Anne grew the family domaine from 3 to 6.5 ha. Recently, she invested in a new cellar. She is a winegrower suspicious of certitude and fastidious about maintaining her freedom.

As a woman winegrower, Anne knew how to prove herself and convince all who doubted of her ability to manage a domaine. She showed that she had not only the shoulders but the head to make her family heritage one of the greatest domaines of Burgundy.

In 1984 she had to stop studying Arts to study viticulture and oenology in Beaune and Dijon. Now her passion for vine and wine as well as her talent, sensitivity and professionalism posit her as a winemaker to rely on.

Mother of three children, Anne spends all her time working at the Domaine and taking care of her family.

In the Vineyard

“Vine cultivation is extremely important and must be done in harmony with man and terroir(…) Pinot is a difficult varietal to cultivate, it is the most capricious but also the most fantastic.”

Concerned about practising a viticulture that is more respectful of man, vine and terroir, Anne Gros has taken a keen interest in biodynamic and organic viticulture. Though she believes this philosophy of cultivation is vital for the preservation of the terroir’s biodiversity, she refuses to categorize or label the domaine as such.

Her work in the vineyard consists especially of deliberate treatments (rational) according to need, ploughing the soil and using compost. It is integrated viticulture.

“I understand what each parcel is capable of in terms of quality, and I try to maintain the ideal number of bunches per vine stock.”

In the Winery

“The goal of the game is to obtain ripe and healthy grapes. I then strive to bring everything together while respecting the integrity of our grapes.” This philosophy is in keeping with a respect for tradition and a desire to innovate. Respecting the biodiversity of the terroir allows us to produce wines that are subtle, harmonious and elegant with good stuffing, viscosity and fruit.

Vinification is traditional at the domaine. In lined cement tanks for the reds and stainless steel tanks for the whites. The temperatures are controlled and adapted to the sanitary state of the raw material and the type of vintage. Fermentation lasts 12 to 15 days. The free-run juice and press juice are blended and settling lasts a minimum of 48 hours in order to eliminate the heavy lees.

At the domaine, barrel ageing takes place over approximately 16 months using a large percent of new oak: 80% for the grand crus, 50% for the village wines and 30% for the regional wines. This allows us to obtain a regular exchange of oxygen and wine as new wood is both a catalyst and a developer. It is what gives the wine aromatic complexity, weight and structure. Thanks to this alchemy, the expression of each different terroir in our wines is preserved and shown to its advantage.

The 2022 Vintage at Domaine Anne Gros

“Anne Gros’ son Paul, along with his sister Julie, is progressively assuming more and more responsibility for the day-to-day operations, and he is the one with whom I did this year’s tasting. He was understandably especially proud to show off the new cuvée of Grands Echézeaux along with several other additions to existing appellations, including .18 ha of Echézeaux. His very brief take on the 2022 vintage was that “it gave us comfortable quantities with potential alcohols that ranged from 12.7 to 14%. We had no trouble with the vinifications and overall, I am extremely happy with the quality.” Can’t fault him for hyperbole.”

Allen Meadows, Burghound

Where in the World is Domaine Anne Gros?

Domaine Anne Gros is based in Vosne-Romanée with holdings in the Clos Vougeot, Echezeaux, and the famed Richebourg. She also holds a small parcel of La Combe d’Orveaux in Chambolle. Extending beyond Burgundy she has a JV with her husband Jean-Paul Tollot, of Domaine Tollot-Beaut fame in Minervois.