Domaine A.F. Gros Chambolle-Musigny 2012
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Robert
Parker
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2012 Chambolle-Musigny Village comes from five small parcels that together make about 0.38-hectare. It has an intriguing, licorice/star anise-scented bouquet that handles the 35% new oak well. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, slightly chalky tannins. There is fine tension here, a linear Chambolle that segues into a refined, citrus-fresh finish. Lovely. Barrel Sample: 88-90
In 1996 Jean and Jeanine Gros retired and so they divided the Jean Gros Domain between their three children Michel, Bernard and Anne-Françoise. Each Domaine is autonomous and independent (Domaine Michel Gros in Vosne Romanee, Domaine Gros Frère & Soeur directed by Bernard in Vosne Romanée, and Domaine Anne-Francoise Gros in Pommard). In Vosne, there also exists the Domaine of their cousin Anne Gros. So there is 4 famous Domaines Gros. In Vosne, it also exists the Domaine of their cousin Anne GROS. So there is 4 famous Domaines GROS.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
Chambolle-Musigny represents the charm of the Côte de Nuits district of Burgundy. But you’ll find that term mainly in reference to the vineyards in its southern stretches, which border Clos Vougeot: the Grand Cru of Le Musingy and in part, its neighboring and most exceptional Premier Cru, Les Amoureuses. Some producers argue for the primacy of Les Amoureuses and its eligibility for Grand Cru status given its wines can sometimes surpass other Grands Crus.
Le Musigny ranks on par with the most acclaimed Grands Crus for Pinot Noir: Romanée-Conti, La Tâche, Richebourg, Chambertin, and Chambertin-Clos de Bèze. It is also the only Grand Cru in Côte de Nuits for Chardonnay. All of the others are in Côte de Beaune.
This village can in fact claim only two Grands Crus vineyards and—in the context of breaking down the minutiae—they are markedly different. Bonnes-Mares, the other one at the far northern end above the village, bordering Morey-St-Denis, offers power, strength and great aging potential. But Chambolle-Musigny includes a nice handful of exceptional Premiers Crus, as noted above with Les Amoureuses as the finest. Le Fuees and Les Cras are other noteworthy Premiers Crus.
Overall, a top Chambolle-Musigny offers pure aromas of violets, dark cherry and damp earth, coupled with a velvety elegance, supple mid-palate, an abundance of black and red berry, and finesse and power through a long and fine-grained finish.