Alphonse Gros was the first in his family to settle in Vosne-Romanée, in 1830, and purchased the monopole Clos des Réas, still worked by the family today. His son Louis-Gustave took over the business and bought more vineyards. He married and – by the mid-19th century – the wines were bottled under their combined name, as Domaine Gros-Guenaud. In 1882, he purchased two hectares of Richebourg – vineyard land that remains under the Gros family today. Louis-Gustave’s son, Jules Gros, inherited the business from his father and, similarly to his father, labelled the wines under his and his wife’s name, as Domaine Gros-Renaudot. In 1920, he purchased two parcels of Clos Vougeot, later adding Les Grands Echezeaux and three hectares of Echézeaux, in the lieu-dit Les Loächausses.  Louis Gros, Jules’s son, took over in due course, and bottled wines under Domaine Louis Gros and later Domaine Louis Gros & Fils. He passed away in 1951, leaving four children: Jean, François, Gustave and Colette, who continued running the family estate until 1963, when they divvied up the property.  Gustave and Colette joined their shares together to create Domaine Gros Frère & Soeur.  Jean and François worked together, making wine under the name Gros Père & Fils, but divided their holdings in the early 1970s. Jean established his own estate, Domaine Jean Gros.  François continued to produce wine under the Gros Père & Fils label (négoce bottlings), but also under Domaine François Gros. In 1978, he stopped bottling wine due to health problems, and for a decade all the wine was sold to a négociant, with both the domaine or négoce ceasing production. Despite previously studying the arts, his daughter Anne Gros shifted too winemaking and revived the family domaine in 1988, under the name Domaine Anne & François Gros, changing this to Domaine Anne Gros in 1995.  Jean had three children: Bernard, Michel and Anne-Françoise. Bernard Gros took over Domaine Gros Frère & Soeur, while Michel Gros starting making wine under his own name at Domaine Michel Gros. Anne-Françoise established Domaine A.-F. Gros (she later married François Parent of Pommard, who brought family vines with him to the operation). The next generation is now taking over, and even setting up their own estates – with Anne Gros’s son Paul Tollot-Gros having made his first handful of vintages under his own name.    The Gros estates today  Domaine Gros Frère & Soeur: Bernard Gros has now handed the running of this domaine over to his son, Vincent Gros.  Domaine Michel Gros: Michel Gros is still at the helm of this estate, although his son Pierre is now working alongside his father.  Domaine A.-F. Gros: This estate, with a large winery in Beaune as well as a property in Pommard, is now run by brother-and-sister Caroline and Mathias Parent, with Caroline in charge of the commercial side of the business and Mathias running the vineyards and winery.  Domaine Anne Gros: Anne Gros is still in charge at the estate, but her children – Julie, Paul and Marine – are all involved. Paul has now also set up his own label (see below). She also has a project in the Minervois, under the name Jean-Paul Tollot & Anne Gros  Paul Tollot-Gros: Anne Gros’s son, Paul Tollot-Gros, set up his own label as of the 2022 vintage.   

There are several different Gros estates in Burgundy – but how are they all related? Here, we dive into their vinous dynasty

There are many different Gros estates in Burgundy – but how are they related? We dive into Gros Frere & Soeur, Michel Gros, Anne Gros, A-F Gros and more

The Gros family domaines in Burgundy 

Untangling the Gros family’s estates in Burgundy

Each November, the wine world looks to Burgundy for the Hospices de Beaune auction. We dive into the history of this philanthropic institution, the domaine and the wines it produces

Explore the history of Burgundy’s Hotel-Dieu and Hospices de Beaune, its wine estate and the famous annual auction, the Vente des Vins

Your guide to the wines of the Hospices de Beaune

Everything you need to know about the Hospices de Beaune

“It’s difficult when you don’t have vines, a winery, any equipment or money,” Stéphane Dief – co-owner and winemaker at Clos Manou – tells me. “You say you want to be a winemaker, but it is complicated. Our advantage, however, was being able to do exactly what we wanted.” Over the last 25 years, he and his wife Françoise have slowly grown their tiny estate in the northern reaches of the Médoc, beyond Saint-Estèphe, where they make wine that offers some of the best value in the region.  Saint-Christoly-Médoc – the miniscule village that is home to their domaine – is where Stéphane grew up, while Françoise is from less than 15km away. Although Françoise’s family had vines, neither she nor Stéphane were working in the production side of the business, but they fell in love with wine. Via his brothers-in-law – who worked at Ch. Mouton Rothschild and Ch. Rauzan-Sègla – Stéphane started tasting some special wines, buying older vintages at auction – and was soon determined to give it a go himself.  Together, the couple bought a mere 12 ares and produced their first vintage in 1998, 600 bottles that they labelled as Clos Manou – “Clos” because they felt it wasn’t grand enough to use “Château”, and “Manou”, Stéphane’s nickname. It was such a success that their hobby rapidly became a full-time gig and the duo left their day jobs in 2000.  In some ways it doesn’t sound like they were doing anything remarkable. They wanted to make attractive wines that reflected their site, and to do so with precision and care. Their ambitions were modest. And yet, for Bordeaux, their small-scale, hand-crafted approach was – and is – atypical.  They sought out specific parcels of old vines, those planted before clonal material became commonplace, favouring the natural complexity of massal selection. They chose to work only with high-density vineyards – around 10,000 vines per hectare, a point at which Stéphane feels the vines self-regulate, meaning there’s no need to green harvest and often less de-leafing required.  In principle, they are close to organic – however, in a bid to avoid dependency on copper, they use bio-controls that aren’t permitted under organics, specifically phosphonic acid. They don’t use any herbicides, insecticides or chemicals – but believe that copper, as a heavy metal that kills soil’s microbiome, is best used minimally, and they prefer to use something that doesn’t leave trace levels in the final wine.   Almost everything is done by hand, with 12 full-time employees working on the estate. There are no protocols or routines. “We do things by watching, observing our vines and drawing conclusions and echoing those conclusions the following year,” Stéphane says.  The 2003 vintage was a turning point. Robert Parker gave the wine 93 points – an incredible score for such a modest Médoc, writing that it was “better than many of the vintage’s ‘big’ names”, “drop-dead-gorgeous” and a “prodigious effort”. Given the critic was at his peak, his influence was significant – and suddenly Clos Manou was in enormous demand.  “C’est notre métier, mais notre passion aussi," Stéphane says – “It’s our profession, but it’s our passion too." That explains perhaps why, for 11 years, he didn’t take a day off. “My wife wasn’t very happy with me,” Stéphane tells me, laughing cheekily.   Today they have 18.5 hectares of vines, scattered between Saint-Christoly-Médoc and Couquèques, all within a three-kilometre radius. They sit across three different soil types – gravel over clay, limestone-clay and sand, with some sitting very close to the estuary itself. Stéphane thinks of them as three children – one of which, the gravel over clay, is naturally gifted. But just because the other two need a bit more work, doesn’t mean they are any lesser. There is, he says, no such thing as “un petit terroir”. One special parcel dates back to 1850. Planted before phylloxera swept through the region, it’s managed to survive thanks to its sandy soils. In certain vintages they make a special “Cuvée 1850” from the block.  Despite the vines averaging 45 years in age, the yields are generally good – sitting at around 50hl/ha. Stéphane emphasises that low yields don’t equate to better quality, necessarily – the balance of your vines is what matters most.  It’s undeniable that climate change has been a benefit here, beyond Saint-Estèphe, where once it was a struggle to ripen fruit. In 2018, Clos Manou had 15% alcohol – but, thanks to their clay soils, the pH was a vibrant 3.52, bringing great freshness to balance the wine. He’s still thinking about the long-term impact of the rising mercury, however, and experimenting with small portions of whole-bunch, inspired by the likes of Guillaume Pouthier at Les Carmes Haut-Brion. Stéphane feels that it can add tension and make the wines feel more dynamic, even on just 5% of the blend. “On est des vrais vignerons – comme il y a en Bourgogne," Stéphane tells me ("We are true vignerons – as there are in Burgundy"). Unlike larger properties where there are various directors who influence decisions – it’s just them deciding what to do. Despite looking further afield for their inspiration, he and Françoise don’t want to go against the grain of the region. “We want to be a bit unorthodox, but we are nevertheless Bordelais,” he says.  Clos Manou is, in essence, a family business. There’s nothing remarkable about their modest ways, but their freedom to start with a blank page has allowed them to create something that is no longer the norm. Inspired by the Bordeaux of yesteryear, everything is low-tech yet done with great precision. The wines are fresh and pure, yet distinctly savoury and earthy – with a natural intensity that points to their old vines. You can see the addition of larger oak and amphorae in more recent vintages, bringing more vibrancy. They are somehow rustic yet fine. Little has changed here since 1998; let’s hope that that remains the case, and the Dief family continue to craft humble expressions of Bordeaux that are very much extraordinary.  Browse all listings of Clos Manou or read more about Bordeaux 

At first glance, Clos Manou might seem run-of-the-mill. But this small estate in the Médoc is far from it. We sat down with Stéphane Dief to talk about how a hobby became his life, the freedom of a fresh start, and why his family’s wines are worth seeking out

We talk to Stephane Dief about his family estate in the Medoc, Clos Manou – one of Bordeaux’s best-value wines and best-kept secrets

Why Clos Manou is anything but ordinary

Anything but ordinary: Clos Manou

One name that kept cropping up when speaking to winemakers about wine and cheese pairing was Bernard Antony, a man who now supplies 20 of the world’s 3* Michelin chefs as well as working alongside many of the world’s top winemakers matching cheese and wine at events for Guigal, Angelus, Humbrecht and many more.   We caught up with Jean Francois Antony (Bernard's son and protege) to find out more about Affinage (the ageing of cheese) and their perfect cheese and wine pairings. 45 years at the service of taste Bernard Antony is one of the world’s great cheese makers. Strictly speaking, his mastery
is in affinage, that is finishing and ageing cheeses. From humble beginnings working as a travelling grocer in Alsace, in 45 years he has gone on to become one of the most recognised men in the world of fine cheese.  Bernard Antony was the protegé of the late great Maitre Pierre Androucet – known as “the Pope of Cheese”. Bernard says of Pierre: "To me, he was like a father. He was the man who created me, who taught us everything, to my wife and me. He didn't like me to say it because he wanted to give me all the credit for my success”.  Following on from Androucet’s advice and support, Bernard set up his own cheese ageing cellars in the early eighties in the southern Alsace village of Vieux-Ferrette. The ageing cellars are made up of seven different chambers all at different humidity and temperature levels – ideal for raising and ageing various different styles of cheese. Only when the cheeses are deemed ready and at perfect ripening are they released to the markets and delivered to restaurants. Ageing of cheeses can range from just a few months for the fresher goat’s cheeses to several years for some hard cheeses. Speaking with Jean Francois Antony, Bernard’s son, who works alongside his father, running the day-to-day operations of the cellars, he identifies that the skills in good affinage revolve around a number of key elements. First of all, “raw (unpasteurized milk) is essential if one is to speak of cheese with authenticity…taking into account the breed of animal, the animal's diet, the talent of the cheesemaker and then of course the controlled process of ripening are also key”. The cheeses arrive at the cellars already halfway through ripening and their ageing cellars go into action to give them the final touch. They provide the perfect environment and temperature for ageing as well as the most important element in the Bernard Antony cheese cellars, the natural yeasts that live there helping the cheese mature distinctly and in the best way possible. The famous ageing cellars are open for visits in the village of Vieux-Ferrette. If you are travelling through Alsace it is an essential visit. Book via their
website. They often pair the cheeses with fine wine so we thought who better to ask for advice on the ultimate cheese and wine pairings than the man himself.  Below is the Bernard and Jean Francois Antony’s essential guide to food and wine matching, split up between the different styles of cheese, with additional advice passed down from Pierre Androucet.  The Floury crust family of cheeses Camembert        Brie de Meux (un peu sale)         St Marcellin and St Marcellin (runny)     Petit Mosellan         Coulommiers         Chaource
 The classic pairing would be Champagne (Blanc de Blancs, Aged and even Rose Champagne) however Bernard Antony advises that you remove the crust as it can make the wine appear more harsh. The bubbles work brilliantly in refreshing the palate from these rich cheeses and the yeast flavours from the Champagne also work really well. Avoid tannic reds with these cheeses. One of Bernard's favourite matches include a Gevrey Chambertin 2012 from Domaine Denis Mortet with the St Marcellin. He states a white wine with both gentle oxidation and good acidity works particularly well with Petit Mosella (Saint Peray from
Domaine Tunnel or Alain Voge) or a fruity red wine with well-coated tannins such as a Beaujolais Cru wines with the Chaource and Colombier fermier. The Washed Crust family of cheeses Epoisses       Langres         Livarot     Munster  Maroilles    Vacherin         Pont-l’Eveque According to Androuet: robust and virile wines, with sap and generous bouquet work best with these potent washed crust cheeses. They require “solar wines“ which can harness the power of washed crusts. Gewurtztraminer Grand Cru from Albert Mann, Chambolle Musigny from Liger Belair would both work well. Pinot Noir from Zind Humbrecht, Bollinger 2008 Grande Annee also a particular favourites with Bernard Antony. The pressed crust family of cheeses Comte     Emmenthal        Beaufort         Gruyere Suisse According to Androuet the matches depend on the evolution of the cheese. Dry white or red wines with bouquet work well, red wine brings a balancing touch of bitterness. These cheeses flatter any red wine by erasing astringency and promoting fruit therefore making White or Red Burgundy a good match. With more ageing of the cheese, wines from the greater South-West, the Rhône Valley and Languedoc Roussillon become better matches. Other personal
favourites from Bernard Antony include Vernaccia di San Gimignano (Italy) White
wines from Valais (Switzerland), and Savignin wines from the Jura. The pressed (uncooked) crust family of cheeses Morbier   Tomme de Savoie fermiere       Mimolette demi étuvé         Salers     Roblochon  Sainte Nectaire Pairing again depends on the maturity of the cheese. The older the cheese the richer the wine. Chateau Latour 2001 is Bernard’s match with Morbier. Saint Joseph Pierre Gonon 2013 works well with Reblochon and Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere Grand Cru Classe St Emilion 2008 works well with Saint Nectaire. The family of blue cheeses Bleu d’Auvergne     Roquefort        Fourme d’Ambert      Blue de Gex          Stilton    Gorgonzola These are best paired with sweeter fruited wine or sweet wines. Avoid red wines as the mould changes the structure, the aromas and brings out the bitterness. Top picks are Rivesaltes Vins Doux Naturels, Pacharenc du Vic Bilh or aged Sauternes even red Vins Doux Naturels such as Maury, Banyuls work well with blue cheeses. The family of Goat and sheep cheeses Ossau-iraty         Brebis cremeux et parfume Brebis Corse     Chevre Frais    Chevre Moelleux et onctueux   Chevre Affiné. Vieux et sec   St Maure de Touraine Banon de Provence Chevrotin des Aravis With this family of cheeses the wine must tame the acidity of milk. The wine must work with the texture of the fat and complexity of the flavours. Androuet confirms the well-known phrase – match local wines with cheese of the same origin, particularly very dry and fruity whites. Dry white wines from the Loire – include the smoky Pouilly Fume, Sancerre, Menetou-Salon, Quincy and Reuilly work well with the goats cheeses from the region. From Burgundy, try the lighter Aligoté, Saint-Véran, Macon villages and from the Alpine pastures the white wines of Savoie or lighter reds of the Loire – Bourgueil and Chinon. Bernard Antony’s particular favourites with these cheeses include wines closer to home including Riesling Vendange Tardive 2007 from Barmes Buecher, 2002 Brundlmayer Gruner Veltliner Kaferberg 2002 and Pinot Gris Grand Cru Osterberg 2016, Domaine Agape. Read more Editorial 

Eating cheese and drinking fine wine is one of life’s little pleasures. We explore the art of ageing cheese (Affinage) and the perfect wine pairings

Find out more about affinage (the ageing of cheese) and the perfect cheese and fine wine pairings, with cheese guru Bernard Antony 

Pairing cheese and fine wine

The alchemy of affinage with cheese guru Bernard Antony 

Swiss-born Jacky Lorenzetti made his fortune in real estate. In 2006, he branched out into sport – becoming the majority shareholder in Racing 92, a then-struggling Paris rugby team that has, with his significant investment, become one of Europe’s best. Having sold his company (Foncia), he bought his first wine estate in 2008. He and his wife Françoise visited Ch. Lilian Ladouys – a Cru Bourgeois in Saint-Estèphe – and instantly fell in love with it. They acquired Ch. Pédesclaux a year later, then half of Ch. d’Issan in 2013 (which had long been owned by the Cruse family, who retained the other half). In September 2021, Lorenzetti purchased the Fourth Growth Ch. Lafon-Rochet. This property, with its iconic yellow château and labels, is just a stone’s throw from Ch. Lilian Ladouys (where the Lorenzettis live), separated from each other only by the D2 road.  The estate has a long history stretching back to the 16th century, but its modern era began under the Tesseron family (famous for their Cognac), who bought the estate in 1960, and purchased Ch. Pontet Canet in 1975. Although the château’s mustard-yellow shade has rapidly become part of its identity, it was only painted this colour in 2000, with a matching label and capsule re-design, under Michel Tesseron. Basile Tesseron took over in 2007, hiring Jean-Claude Berrouet (of Pétrus) as consultant – the first on the Left Bank to do so. Quality rose significantly under the Tesseron rule, but not to the same extent as Pontet Canet.  In 2022, Emmanuel Cruse and Jacky Lorenzetti formed Vignobles Cruse Lorenzetti – making their ongoing partnership official, with the new company responsible for all four of their properties in Saint-Estèphe and Pauillac. Their first act was to hire Christophe Congé as Managing Director. Bordeaux-born and -bred, Congé isn’t moving far – having spent 24 years at Lafon-Rochet’s neighbour, Ch. Lafite-Rothschild, working as Eric Kohler’s right-hand man, in charge of the winemaking for both the First Growth and Ch. Duhart-Milon, as well as being responsible for the estate’s on-site cooperage.   Tasting through a host of vintages, Lafon-Rochet has a clear style – classical, restrained and linear, very typical Saint-Estèphe, although there’s none of the rusticity of yore in recent vintages. In warm vintages like 2009, its clay subsoils keep the vines’ roots cool – adding a depth of fruit and plushness to the mid-palate, while cooler years like the superb 2014 are sleek and perfumed. For such a modest estate, the wines age beautifully – with the 1996 fully resolved yet vibrant and hard to resist.  The 2021s were made by the Tesserons, but Congé blended the wines and the just-released 2022 was his first full vintage at the helm – and it’s an impressive début. Given the hot, dry conditions of the year, Saint-Estèphe thrived – and Lafon-Rochet offers surprising freshness, with a linear mouthful of crunchy and pure cassis fruit.  There has already been a focus on sustainability here – with the vineyards farmed organically since 2021 (and certification set for 2024), and an agroecology project launched in 2019, planting 4.5km of hedgerows and 53 different tree species across the estate – but there is set to be more emphasis in the future. A new cellar and vat house should be completed in 2025, and changes are already being implemented with increased selection, smaller fermentation tanks and larger oak vessels; in the vineyard they are doing more soil studies and looking at possible replanting.  Talking to Congé and Cruse, the ambition here is clear, with “a new era” being declared. They’re looking to put Lafon-Rochet back in serious play alongside Saint-Estèphe’s other Classed Growths – and if things go as planned, this bright estate will soon be snapping at the heels of Calon Ségur. Watch this space.  Browse all listings of Ch. Lafon Rochet or read more about Bordeaux Photography: Emma Tournier

Change is afoot at Saint-Estèphe’s Ch. Lafon-Rochet – with new owners and big plans in the pipeline. Sophie Thorpe reports on the changes and what lies ahead for the Fourth Growth

With the new team’s first vintage released, we sat down with Emmanuel Cruse and Christophe Congé to find out more about what’s happening at Ch. Lafon-Rochet

The new team at Ch. Lafon-Rochet

Meeting the new team at Ch. Lafon-Rochet

Philippe Guigal hadn’t yet met his future wife – it would be another nine years before he finally walked down the aisle but he had long known what vintage he would serve at his then-imaginary wedding. The 1999 season in the northern Rhône was as perfect as it gets and when he was picking the beautiful berries that were worthy of photographing he told his father it would the wines of the 1999 vintage would be served on his wedding day.  Baltimore-base wine critic Robert Parker seemed to agree with Philippe that Domaine E. Guigal’s 1999s were worthy of the most important day of a man’s life, handing out three perfect scores to its trio of Côte Rôtie wines, known affectionately as the La Las. It wasn’t just
one northern Rhône producer who basked in the glory of the 1999 summer: Michel Ogier’s Cuvée Belle Helène and Rene Rostaing’s Côte Blonde both nabbed their first–ever 100 Parker points and Michel Chapoutier’s Ermite l’Ermite Blanc received its first, of what would be many, 100-point scores.  While Parker was accustomed to handing out awards to the French wine fraternity, the tables were turned in 1999; he was named an officer of the Legion d’Honneur by French President Jacques Chirac “being the man who taught America about French wine”. France’s highest award, he joined an illustrious list of recipients including Queen Elizabeth II, American President Dwight D. Eisenhower and French poet Victor Hugo.  Another American Robert was making waves in Europe in the autumn of 1999. Robert Mondavi Winery bought a stake in Tenuta dell’Ornellaia, one of a handful of so-called Super Tuscan estates made famous for their law-breaking use of non-Tuscan grape varieties and
the superlative quality of the resulting wines. But it wasn’t just Antinori who was celebrating his windfall in 1999: it was a magnificent season growers across Tuscany. The winemakers of Brunello di Montalcino enjoyed a superb follow-up to the opulent 1997 vintage in an otherwise unremarkable decade for the area.  Burgundy was also bringing the century to a close with flourish: it was a record year with around 20 million more bottles than the five-year average. The late Henri Jayer, affectionately known as the "pope of winegrowers" recorded his thoughts on each vintage in notebooks and, in 1999, he said: "One has to go back to 1934 to find a similar association of quantity and quality."  If growers did not thin their crops, however, the vines struggled to ripen their loads while producers that normally ferment their wine with a portion of whole bunch had to destem to make room in their vats.  From the off the wines were succulent and seductive but they had greater staying power than many envisaged due to their rich phenolics and fine acidity. In 2018, Burgundy critic Stephen Tanzer said that the reds had just entered "their periods of peak drinkability" and this is a great time to crack the 1999 reds from the Côte d'Or. It was a truly great vintage to see out the 20th century. 
François Millet of Chambolle Musigny's Domaine Georges Comte de Vogüé shares his memories of the 1999 vintage. "The 1999 vintage was abundant. The previous vintage - 1998 - was marked by a hard frost and, as is often the case after a small crop, it is followed by a large one - like 2017 after 2016.  "The most important factor in 1999 was consequently whether you limited yields or not. We
had been very vigilant at the domaine and didn't hesitate to do a severe green harvest. The weather during the season was beautiful and we harvested on 20 September. It was not an early vintage and maturity was reached calmly.  "The wines are concentrated, complete, elegant and refined with black fruit dominating and a
beautifully spicy structure. It was quite a serious vintage in terms of its expression while also retaining a beautiful elegance; it is a quiet force that inspires respect." On Musigny "When it comes to the winemaking, there was no pigeage because I think that Musigny is a
sensitive terroir that doesn't like much intervention; you have to have a lot of empathy for the wine and to be forceful with it would risk having vegetal tannins and bitterness, which I perceive as a form of anger. By its structural nature, if you were too brutal with it, the 1999 vintage, could very quickly have become monstrous. [On the other hand] Bonnes-Mares likes and needs more intervention to best express itself and so I punch down.  For me, making wine is a message of peace and empathy, particularly for Musigny. As Claude Debussy said: 'Music is the silence between the notes'." Explore more Editorial 

In the latest installment of our Vintage Series, we explore the last year of the 20th century. Francois Millet from Domaine Georges Comte de Vogue tells us what makes the year 1999 so special.

Exploring what makes 1999 so special with Francois Millet from Domaine Georges Comte de Vogue  

The 1999 vintage in wine

A year in wine: 1999

While at the top end, Chile has historically been known for its Bordeaux-style blends, the country has a staggering range of climates to choose from. But prior to Errázurriz’s Las Pizarras range of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Aconcagua Costa, the Burgundy grapes had not seen great success in Chile. The last few vintages of these wines – made by Francisco Baettig – have, however, turned the tide, proving that Chile can work with much more than the Bordeaux varieties. But why did it take so long for the country to reach this realisation? Francisco believes that up until 15 years ago the Pinot Noir in Chile simply wasn’t good – low-quality clones, infected with viruses, and often planted in the wrong place. He also thinks that the influence of Bordeaux hung too heavily, meaning Pinot was being picked far too late, producing wines that were too sweet and too heavy. Since the mid-2000s, however, better plant material has been available and now, 15 years on, these vines are reaching maturity – and their potential.  But Las Pizarras is just one style of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay – and Francisco knew that a very different style could be achieved further south, where radiation is lower and there’s enough rainfall to allow vines to be dry-farmed. Francisco’s grandparents lived in the southern region of Traiguén, on a farm fittingly called “La Vigna”, and it had always been his
dream to return to his roots to make wine there. It so happened that his friend, and business partner in his new venture, Carlos had ties to the region too – and so together quickly settled on making wine here.  Traiguén is the southernmost wine-producing region in Chile, in line with Argentina’s Patagonia; as such radiation is 25% lower than in Central Chile. For Francisco, this was key: there’s less chance of the grapes being sunburnt (especially important for delicate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay), while also not requiring as thick a canopy to shield the grapes from the hot sun (as having lots of leaves can lead to green flavours in the grapes). Higher levels of radiation also cause grape skins to thicken, meaning wines are more tannic – something that Francisco was looking to avoid in ethereal expressions inspired by Burgundy. Finally, there’s also much more natural acidity in the fruit, meaning he could craft wines with real tension.  Another incentive behind the project was to discover a more sustainable solution for the long-term wine production in Chile. Irrigation is becoming a real concern in Central Chile. While Chile and Argentina have been blessed with the Andes, producers rely on snow melt to irrigate vineyards. In a dry season like 2019, there was no snow on the mountains and water reserves completely dried out. Francisco states that 40 years ago the average rainfall in Santiago was around 500mm a year: now the average is close to 300mm, and in 2019 it was just 70mm. Traiguén, by contrast, saw 850mm of rain in 2019 – meaning there is no need to depend on irrigation. Beyond the issue of sustainability, however, in Francisco’s view irrigation can be a problem when it comes to fine wine, as it’s all too easy to over-water vines, preventing them seeking out water and establishing deep roots. He believes that deep, complex root systems are essential for producing a wine of the soil, rather than a wine of the sun.  It took two years to find the perfect spot for the new project. Francisco brought Burgundian geologist and friend Françoise Vannier-Petit over to help seek out the right site. Eventually they found a corner of Francisco’s cousin’s property in Traiguén with the right soils and microclimate. Together they planted 15 hectares in 2013 at high density (7,000 vines per
hectare) with carefully selected Burgundy clones. There are nine hectares of Pinot Noir and six of Chardonnay, with three clones and rootstocks for each variety spread over five distinct parcels. Long-term, Francisco hopes to produce single-vineyard wines from these plots, showcasing the varied terroir of this volcanic region. The first commercially available wines are remarkable. The entry-level bottlings are the Vino de Viñedo Los Parientes Pinot Noir and Chardonnay – with fruit sourced from across the property, while the top grapes are reserved for the top Seleccion de Parcelas Los Primos cuvées. All the wines clearly display the nervosity, tension and minerality of cool-climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but with a New World ripeness thanks to Chile’s sunny climate. Production in these early days is miniscule – with less than 150 cases of each wine made in 2018 – and the aim is to keep the operation human-sized. This project is a true labour of love for Francisco, investing significant personal savings in what he believes to be the ideal terroir for ethereal-styled Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. With such exciting results already, we can’t wait to watch the project evolve over the coming years. Explore all Baettig listings or read more Editorial 

Francisco Baettig – the man behind Errázuriz, Seña and Viñedo Chadwick – is without doubt Chile’s most celebrated winemaker. But 25 years into his career, he’s striking out to make wines under his own name. We caught up with him to find out about the exciting project

We talk to Francisco Baettig, the winemaker behind Seña and Viñedo Chadwick, about his new wine project in Traiguén in Chile

Francisco Baettig beyond Seña and Viñedo Chadwick

Looking south: Francisco Baettig’s cool-climate quest

Oak barrels have been used in winemaking for thousands of years. While initially their purpose was simply as a holding vessel, today it is much more than this. As we have learnt about wine production at a molecular level, we have discovered the unique interaction between oak and wine – adding flavour, textural complexity and increased ageing potential. These intrinsic qualities have seen oak at the forefront of fine wine’s greatest success stories – but also some of its greatest failures. The use of oak to improve a wine requires great skill and finding that balance has shaped the modern history of fine wine.  What is rather beautiful about winemaking, particularly in fine wine circles, is that despite the input from developments in science and technology, production remains an artisan craft, relying both on tradition and technology. The barrel-maker is a perfect example of this partnership and no one understands this better than François Frères. This lauded Burgundy cooper’s ties to the world’s greatest wines make it one of a very small number that have lived through the development and fashions within fine wine.  Today, business has never been better for François Frères; they produce 30,000 barrels a year and export to every major wine region in the world. The secret to the François Frères barrels historically, Gigandet believes, is their consistency, while the all-important signature toasting is paramount. To keep up with the ever-growing world of fine wine, François Frères produces tailor-made barrels that fit the varying climates and varying styles of each winemaker, meeting the standards set by today’s precision-led winemaking. Despite the growth of the business in recent years, François Frères still remains intrinsically linked to its homeland in Burgundy and the specific microclimate of Saint-Romain that is so important for the seasoning of their oak – another key factor behind the company’s success. “The microclimate of Saint-Romain, in a windy and pollution-free environment is ideal for the seasoning and drying of the oak. This oxidation of phenolic compounds under the influence of fungi, releases enzymes that hydrolyse the phenolic compounds, reducing the wood’s astringency, producing oak of the finest quality for wine production,” Gigandet tells me. The art of the cooper is much more than just sawing and toasting – it’s about sourcing, traceability, control of drying time and heating, hygiene, temperature control, sorting and more. With increased knowledge, the quality of the barrels, like that of the wines, has greatly improved. Even just a few years ago, Gigandet admits that in colder Burgundy vintages, sometimes their barrels jarred with the wine – they “brought too much tension and could sometimes seem too austere”. But now they have a better understanding of the qualities their barrels can bring to Burgundy: “François Frères barrels remain attractive to winemakers because they are great at retaining freshness and minerality.” Perhaps most importantly, François Frères wants its barrels to amplify a wine’s intrinsic qualities. “It wants to accentuate the beautiful tannic structure of a wine, contribute to its flavour but without excess of sweetness from the toasting, as well as amplifying the wine's tension and minerality, helping retain its freshness and its fruit,” Gigandet says. As technology has developed, so has François Frères. It is what Gigandet aptly calls “the evolution of taste” – “the cask has evolved considerably over the last few decades along with the quality of the wines. Today, the barrel is much more specific, manufacturing almost tailor-made barrels for each customer’s needs.” The business was founded by Joseph François in the early 1900s, never imagining that being a cooper would become a full-time job. Back then, Gigandet reminds us, “It took several trades to live.” But the next generation, Robert and Henri François, saw the demand for oak casks rise, at that time mainly used to transport wines. They took the operation full-time, creating the François Frères brand in 1942. In those days, as Gigandet points out, “The tradition of maturing wines in barrels was reserved only for the very top red and white wines of Burgundy and the great Bordeaux châeaux.” Even within these regions, barrels were a luxury, re-used year after year given their expense, therefore keeping the demand for new barrels low. By the 1960s the brothers were met by the development of stainless steel and plastic containers. The barrel quickly lost it supremacy as the preferred vessel for transportation and demand plummeted. It was only the top producers that helped keep the cooperage going. By the 1970s François Frères was producing barrels for one of the world’s most famous estates, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti – a partnership that would be instrumental in the continuation of the business through a difficult period. The next generation – Robert's son, Jean – was confronted by the economic downturn of the early 1970s and turned to export to save the family business. Fortuitously at this time, oenologists in the United States started to highlight how ageing wines in new oak barrels brought complementary flavours and complexity to the wines. In the 1980s, the French market caught onto the idea and both export and domestic markets grew. The oak barrel was entering an era where it would become the star of the show – and a must for all top producers. François Frères’s reputation for working with the best saw it perfectly placed to capitalise on this new-found love for the barrel. But according to Gigandet, it wasn’t just the fashion of using new oak in the 1980s and ’90s that saw such a huge increase in demand. This trend emerged just as wine exports exploded. What he calls “the democratisation of wine” saw the world of wine suddenly open up to the middle classes – and this increase in sales saw an ever-increasing need to maintain quality and improve consistency. Such demand prompted and funded a better scientific and technological understanding of wine production. More importantly for François Frères, it fuelled the need for a better understanding of what barrel-ageing does to wine – and why. It was already clear that contact with new oak changed wine profoundly. Most obviously the aromas and flavours of the wine develop, becoming more complex. These aromas and flavours are formed during the toasting of the barrels. “It is this toasting of the barrel that remains the signature of the cooper,” explains Gigandet. But the oak didn’t just impact the flavour, they came to understand that, being porous, oak allowed the wine to undergo “controlled oxygenation”. The exchange of air through the oak staves, in particular for red wines, helps stabilise the colour and polymerise the tannins. This polymerisation not only softens the wine, but brings a textural complexity, a millefeuille layering of mouth-feel brought about by the linking of long tannin chains, encouraged by the micro-oxygenation process that the wine goes through when aged in oak barrel. “François Frères barrels are ageing tools, which contribute to the textural improvement of wines, when used wisely,” Gigandet explains. As the wine world’s love of oak grew, François Frères’ main export customers went from little-known names to pioneers in their respective regions – with Robert Mondavi in the US, Angelo Gaja in Italy, Nicolas Catena in Argentina and Australia’s Rosemount winery. Each of these producers further cemented the cooper’s reputation, representing the very pinnacle of oak barrel production. Of course, like all fashions, the oak craze of the ’90s saw some extreme uses – 200% new oak ageing or an over-reliance on oak to provide flavour to wines that lacked the natural concentration to carry it. This saw many producers and consumers react strongly against its presence in wine at all. Even Gigandet admits that there are wines with “excess woodiness” to their detriment. Today, the barrel also has to compete with new trends in wine maturation – concrete eggs and clay amphorae, for instance. But while these new vessels have captured the imagination of the world’s top winemakers, it is not necessarily at the expense of the barrel. “The barrel has an important oenological role in the development of wines from certain grape varieties,” states Gigandet – notably Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Pinot Noir. But he also outlines how different ageing vessels combined can also benefit a wine’s potential for complexity. This is certainly the case amongst some leading producers in Bordeaux and Burgundy that are using both oak barrels and alternative ageing vessels. Coopers like François Frères have weathered the changing relationship wine has had with the barrel; with shifting views of critics and drinkers over the last century. Fortunately for fine wine lovers, there’s little sign of oak fading into the background. Oak remains a vital ingredient in many of the world’s greatest wines, adding to its flavour, textural complexity and – of course – ageing potential. Today oak has never been so deftly handled, bringing so much to a wine, while retaining the grapes’ natural expression. The art of the cooper lives on. Read more Editorial 

Oak has played a vital role in the changing history of fine wine. In 2021 we spoke to Max Gigandet – Managing Director of leading Burgundy cooper François Frères – to explore the power of a good barrel and why oak isn’t going anywhere

Exploring the vital role oak has played in the changing history of fine wine and the power of a good barrel with François Frères

François Frères on the art of the cooper

Finding the balance: the art of the cooper

Francoise Bedel

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