1986 Domaine Gros Frere et Soeur Grands-Echezeaux

Domaine Gros Frere et Soeur is part of a family dynasty in the Cotes de Nuits that goes back to 1830, when Alphonse Gros settled in Vosne-Romanee with his new wife. Many generations later, the estate is now divided among three siblings, Michel, Bernard and Anne Gros. Domaine Gros Frere et Soeur is managed by Bernard and it includes a total of 20.6 acres. There are important parcels in Richebourg, Grands-Echezeaux and Clos Vougeot. Like his siblings, Bernard is known as a consummate viticulturalist. Robert M. Parker Jr. has written that Bernard’s wines “are among the most extraordinarily exotic, hedonistic wines produced in all of Burgundy….I often wonder what miracles occur in his cellars to produce wines with such incredible bouquets of oranges, raspberries and apricots.”

Grands-Echezeaux is a Grand Cru vineyard in the southern Cote de Nuits. It is a 23-acre plot and is generally flat with an elevation of 260 meters. The soil is limestone mixed with clay and pebbles. Pinot Noir is grown in the vineyard and the largest proprietors are Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, with 8.83 acres; Mongeard-Mugneret, 3.6 acres; and Jean-Pierre Mugneret/Jean-Rene Naudant, 2.25 acres.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.