Anne and Jean-Paul are a couple who settled down in the Minervois region back in 2006. Anne is part of the sixth generation of the Gros family who make wine in Vosne-Romanée, and Jean-Paul has his roots among viticulturists in Chorey-lès-Beaune. Together, they left their native Burgundy to seek new horizons.
After taking up the reins of her family’s domain in 1998, Anne Gros has since let her children take over. On the hunt for a new challenge, she and Jean-Paul Tollot found just the thing on some modest plots in the Minervois region of the Languedoc. They’d spent so long vinifying Burgundy’s Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes that a change was in order, and they turned to France’s native southern vines. Their curiosity has led them to grow Carignan, Cinsault, Syrah, Grenache, and Marselan.
When they wished to start from zero in the Languedoc, the couple’s decision came down to love at first sight for this Minervois domain, where the terroir is rich in clay, limestone, and marl. 220 metres above sea level, the vines flourish in a well-exposed and temperate spot. It’s unsurprising that Anne and Jean-Paul saw such potential in the place. They began with 15 hectares, to which they have since added three. Their winery has also been built little by little, keeping in mind energy-saving features to reduce the domain’s environmental impact.
Independent in their approach, these vintners don’t adhere to any particular movement, even though natural processes are kept at the forefront of their considerations. The soil, the sun, and the wind are all central elements of the location, so Anne and Jean-Paul seek to translate each of these as best they can into their work. Decades of experience across regions have taught them that the earth is key to their produce, so they treat it with the utmost respect. They started off with four cuvées, and have since expanded their range to ten, each with its own marked personality typical of the plot it comes from.
Their signature, though, comes from the methods they’ve imported from their shared native region, bringing together nicely their past and their future! And this is a future they’re preparing with great care, with the help of a local Languedoc vintner who knows the Aigues-Vives land like the back of his hand. Their son Paul is also getting involved!
Their first vintage at this domain was in 2008. Their aim has always been to produce wines to be shared with a good meal. To them, this is the best way to respect the vines and appreciate what nature has to offer.
As well as crafting pleasingly priced cuvées, the domain has a B&B, inviting travellers to be fully immersed in the classic garrigue of the Languedoc.
Find all the wines from Domaine Anne Gros & Jean-Paul Tollot here
