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Domaine Anne Gros et Jean-Paul Tollot - Minervois
An Atherton Wine Imports Direct Import
It was only in 2008 that Anne Gros and her husband, Jean-Paul Tollot, released their first wines from Minervois and propelled their new domaine into the top tier of the region. This was not surprising since both Anne and Jean-Paul were already internationally recognized as superstar winemakers in Burgundy. After several years of looking for the right property, Anne knew the vineyard around Cazelles was special and even reminded her of Richebourg!
When they began planting the new vineyards above the winery, the couple’s resolve to use the best-suited varietals in each location put them sharply at odds with Minervois blending regulations. They decided it was important to make the best wine possible - even if that meant they must accept the IGP Cotes du Brian on their labels. Additional labeling changes occurred with the 2014 vintage when the area below the village was allowed the Minervois-Cazelles designation. The domaine’s two signature vineyards, Les Carrétals and La Ciaude, both carry this super-Minervois “Cazelles” denomination.
Anne and Jean-Paul also bottle two vineyards under the traditional Minervois appellation. The first, Les Fontanilles, lying above the village and not included in the Cazelles AOC, is a traditional Minervois blend of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault. The other Minervois, from the recently planted L’O de la Vie vineyard, had not been producing fruit long enough when the Cazelles appellation was drawn up to be included. It is a blend 80% Syrah and just enough Grenache to put ‘Minervois’ on the label.
The wines of Domaine Anne Gros et Jean-Paul Tollot are routinely described as Burgundian, but while these wines are indeed finessed, the couple’s light-handed treatment of these wines has not diminished their power or density, but rather brought forward texture and complexity rarely achieved in Minervois.
Praise for Domaine Anne Gros et Jean-Paul Tollot: “The wines have vibrant, if not crunchy, acidity, good concentration and beautifully made profiles that will benefit from short-term cellaring. While I hate to use the term Burgundian here, these efforts certainly have a tension and energetic feel (while not lacking fruit) that’s unique to the region.” The Wine Advocate
Featured Wines:
- Les Carrétals, Minervois-Cazelles
- La Ciaude, Minervois-Cazelles
- Les Fontanilles, Minervois
- L’O de la Vie (80% Syrah), Minervois
- La 8 (Grenache), Cotes du Brian
- La 50/50, Cotes du Brian
- Les Combettes (Marselan), Cotes du Brian