Domaine Anne Gros & Jean-Paul Tollot, Les Fontanilles Minervois Aoc

Southern French spirit, Burgundian soul. The partnership of Burgundian winemakers Anne Gros and Jean-Paul Tollot in the Minervois sets a new standard for quality and character in the Languedoc. Finesse and precision are the two main characteristics of these Minervois wines—words more often used to describe Gros’ Burgundian crus rather than the concentrated reds of the south. Gros has for decades headed her own estate Vosne-Romanée; her partner, Jean-Paul, hails from the family estate of Tollot-Beaut in Chorey-lès-Beaune. The pair wanted to make wine together, but the question was where—and the search, over a few years, brought them to the high-altitude hills of Minervois. The region’s varied terroir, cooler heights (the same altitude as Vosne-Romanée, curiously enough) and very old vines offered just the combination they wanted, for wines that speak of both the sun and of silk in every sip.