AF Gros – 2019

30.7.2020billn

Matthias Parent & Caroline Parent-Gros 2020Tasted in Beaune with Matthias Parent and Caroline Parent-Gros, 17 June, 2020.

Domaine AF Gros
16 Rue Pierre Joigneaux
21200 Beaune
Tel: +33 3 80 24 61 26
www.af-gros.com
More reports for AF Gros.

Matthias & Caroline on 2019:
In 2019 we started our harvesting in Beaujolais – that was about 28th August – then a couple of days later we were in the vines in the Côte d’Or. It was a warm vintage with small yields, certainly lots of dryness through the growing season played a part in that. We had quite a lot of wind towards the end of the growing season too, which concentrated the grapes but also helped to concentrate the acidity for such a hot vintage – so we have balance. It’s a vintage with everything – except quantity!

There are a few familial changes on the way too: 2021 will be last year here for Vosne monopole Clos de la Fontaine – it will be moving to Gros Frère & Soeurs. But the recompense for this domaine will be that the Clos de la Fontaine will be replaced with Clos de Vougeot from both the ‘Musigni’ and ‘Garenne’ sectors, plus some Echézeaux.

The wines…

One of the early tastings of 2019s for me. Self-evident is the extra cut and direction to the wines- thanks to more retained acidity. Ripeness is assured, but, so far, not showing any of the excesses of ripeness found in many 2018s. Here is a great range of wines – one that always repays your patience at this address. – there are a number of wines here that are worth searching for.

All tasted from barrel in what was an exceptionally cold cellar for mid-June!

2019 Bourgogne Pinot Noir
A domaine wine from 3 parcels; two in Pommard, the other between Pommard & Volnay.
Modest colour. That’s a nice nose of pretty fruit with a little, growing, floral note – lovely. Hmm, a little bitters in the finish, long finishing, needs time here. The nose is a great invitation but the flavours say ‘be patient.’

2019 Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits
Only 8-year-old vines, but ‘a good selection with small grapes.’
Modest colour again. A vibrant nose, smoky with stems but very well done. A faint gas – this more open and accessible than the Bourgogne Pinot Noir today. Mouth-watering, almost juicy flavoured. Mineral, direct – this will be completely delicious – super Bourgogne!

2019 Vosne-Romanée Chalandins
Other side of the wall from the Clos de Vougeot
More colour. The nose has a little more power too, certainly more depth of aroma to offset the whole cluster notes. There is more oak present but balanced by the extra concentration of this wine. Fuller, longer, tasty wine. Wait at least 3 years I’d say…

2019 Vosne-Romanée Clos de la Fontaine
A finer nose, more perfumed and floral – lots of depth – yes! In the mouth there’s finer texture too, and such a lovely shape – this is more direct than fat. The 2019 production was so low that only magnums will be offered in 2019 – and what super magnums they will be!

2019 Chambolle-Musigny
5 small parcels.
Plenty of colour. A super nose – here is some hyper-attractive aromatic intensity. Structural, direct, very modest tannin, impressive middle intensity. Long, slow waves of fine flavour. This will appreciate your patience, it’s not at all easy right now but I love this style of wine. Bravo!

2019 Gevrey-Chambertin La Corvée
Behind the cuverie of Rossignol-Trapet – a blend of old and younger vines. A maison wine – labelled AF Gros instead of Domaine AF Gros.
Lots of aromatic width, not quite as fine as the Chambolle – but attractive all the same. Wide, supple but fresh, the oak showing a little but here is energy and a growing intensity. The acidity sweeping you along. Lots of potential here.

2019 Morey St.Denis
Maison wine, from Monts Luisants – but the villages section so not noted on the label – the vines high above Clos de Tart
Not such a full nose as the last two wines, slightly with firework reduction. Lovely in the mouth, supple with a subtle oak depth to this flavour, and as all so far, a beautifully mouth-watering flavour. Seriously excellent finishing, never quite losing the oak and the reduction – but it’s not a heavy reduction – lovely clean finishing flavour.

2019 Vosne-Romanée Au Réas
40% whole-clusters.
Beautiful, elegant, floral, but no lack of aromatic intensity and not overtly with wc aromas. Concentrated, a growing width of flavour. Then a super burst of finishing flavour – there is authority here. Excellent wine!

2019 Savigny-lès-Beaune Clos des Guettes
More modest colour. A rounder nose – a little reductive but attractively-so. Some gas here. A little more tannin but not grainy – the gas doesn’t help here. Bright, punchy, slightly oaky finishing. Very long – deliciously long.

2019 Beaune 1er Boucherottes
A tiny cuvée – 60% less than in 2018
Hmm, that’s a beautiful nose – a little floral, a certain purity. In the mouth too – not overtly sweet, but energetic, open, and with plenty of intensity. Vibrant at the end too. Bravo Beaune!

2019 Pommard 1er Les Arvelets
A little less colour than the Beaune – all destemmed
A more subtle nose yet with a super depth. Energy, freshness, intensity. Widening over the palate. The flavour sticking well over the palate holding long, tasty and showing a little need for patience really an impressive wine – excellent!

2016 Pommard 1er Pezerolles
Old-vines a parcel of 80 years and another of 60. Here with some wc
A fuller nose, a little smoke but not obviously wc. More mouth-filling volume. Less formed character in the middle versus the Arvelets, but the finish is great – really quite something. This needs more time to both show and hone its delivery, but potentially a great Pommard in the making here…

2019 Nuits St.Georges 1er Les St.Georges
A contract purchase.
Not a deep nose but one with a fine and airy width, slowly increasing in perfume. This shows in a wide style, growing in intensity, herby, mouth-watering, a little oaky in the finishing flavours – but long finishing flavours. A wine that requires patience but there will be much here to find…

2019 Echézeaux
About one-third whole cluster, 100-year-old vines, though with some replacements of course
Here the nose shows a little more sweetness. Driving freshness, a wave of mouth-watering favour – so juicy. This has a lovely energy though could it be longer?

2019 Richebourg
Rather reduced. The aromas are energetic and complex – easy to see despite the reductive shape of the wine. Here is a weight of flavour – the reduction less overt than on the nose – more structural but also with a little fat. Here is the persistence of finishing flavour you expect for Richebourg, also with a little salinity in the mix.

2018 Moulin à Vent
Doesn’t everybody drink Moulin à Vent after Richebourg?
A depth of slightly smoky red fruit – there is some oak here but none new. Mouth-filling, concentrated wine. A line of flavour through the core that suggests gamay, but not strongly. Super-enjoyable.

Les Blancs:

2019 Beaune 1er Montrevenots Blanc
High-toned aromatics, though today a little oaky. Nice intensity, the flavour of the oak – rather perfumed – running through the wine. Energetic and saline. Not my favourite flavour profile, but I love the energy and shape. A great finish though.

2019 Corton-Charlemagne
A single barrel contract as in previous years.
Less high-toned – a rounder impression from this nose. Today there’s plenty of gas – but a much more refined flavour profile is evident. Mouth-watering, practically juicy wine. Delicious finishing!

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