Corinne and Jean Pierre Grossot, now joined by their daughter
Eve, represent the third and fourth generations of winemakers at their family
domaine. The Grossots cultivate 18 hectares of Chablis vineyards, centered in
the village of Fleys,
just east of the town of Chablis.
All of Grossot’s vineyards are on the right bank of the Serein River which is
recognized as the finest part of the Chablis appellation. Their production is
about two-thirds Chablis AOC and one third of several Premier Crus,
including Mont de-Milieu, Vaucoupin, and Les Fourneaux. The
Grossots seek to produce exceptional Chablis wines by keeping the rich, pure
Chardonnay fruit, the unique mineral quality of the Kimmeridgian soil, and the
lively fruity acidity and bouquet, in perfect balance.
The Grossots’ vineyard practices follow and go beyond the standards
of
culture raisonnée, which Jean-Pierre has practiced for over 20 years.
Since 2010, they have been moving towards fully organic viticulture. By pruning
severely, the vines have adequate aeration so the threat of problems requiring
treatments (such as various forms of mildew and botrytis) are largely
eliminated. The plants are fertilized using only organic materials, the soil is
plowed, and grass is planted between the rows. No synthetic products are used.
Grossot recycles his vine cuttings as fuel for heating the domaine’s buildings.
These and other measures are examples of sustainable farming
chez Grossot.
The grapes are hand-harvested and gently pressed in a
horizontal pneumatic press to ensure the fullest extraction of flavors and
aromas. The juice ferments very slowly at low temperatures in stainless steel
tanks, and after a first racking, the wines rest mostly in tanks to develop.
Bottling is usually done 12-18 months after the harvest. The Grossots’ commitment
to making high quality Chablis wines has brought the estate international acclaim.
The
Grossots take great pride in their Chablis AOC, which comes from very well-placed
sloping vineyards in the communes of Fleys, Chichée and Fontenay. They are able to produce such an
exceptionally rich and expressive Chablis AOC because their grapes attain extra
maturity, due to the excellent vineyards and their practice of keeping yields
low. The soils are all Kimmeridgian limestone-clay with stones and sea-shell
fossils. The Grossots usually harvest their Chablis AOC grapes beginning in the third
week of September when the fruit has reached an optimal balance of sugar,
acidity and pH levels. The wine is aged on its lees in tanks for one year. The
Chablis AOC is packed with flavors of ripe pear, citrus and minerals, and has a
long, refreshing finish. Always enjoyable on release, it is the ideal
introduction to the Grossot’s house style.
The Chablis
1er Cru Les Fourneaux is a steep, south-facing slope on the far side of
Fleys, across the valley from the Grossot home and winery. Jean-Pierre
replanted two, equal size parcels totaling 1.75 hectares in 1990 because of the
vineyard’s enormous potential. Three quarters of the volume completes its
fermentation and maturation on fine lees in tanks. For the other 25%, Grossot
begins the fermentation in tank and then transfers the fermenting juice into a
mix of 228 and 600 litre oak casks, which are between 1 and 5 years of age.
This part of the cuveé completes its
fermentation in barrels and is then aged, with occasional battonage, in
these casks until May. Each part completes its malolactic fermentation
separately. The parts are assembled in June and the Les Fourneaux is bottled
in September, before the
new harvest. This Premier Cru is always the most generous and
accessible of the Grossot Premier Crus, offering expressive floral, ripe pear,
citrus and mango flavors, a juicy texture, and a long, minerally finish.
The Chablis 1er Cru Vaucoupin vineyard is a very steep,
south-facing slope in the commune of Chichée, on the south side of Fleys. The
soil here is about half limestone and half clay. The vines in Grossot’s 1.6HA
parcel average 45 years of age and are planted on the upper part of the slope,
at about 220 meters of altitude. These factors contribute to the full-bodied,
powerful and concentrated character of the Grossot Vaucoupin. The grapes are
hand-harvested, sorted in the vineyards and again at the winery, and are gently
pressed in a horizontal pneumatic press to ensure the fullest extraction of
flavors and aromas. The juice ferments very slowly at low temperature in stainless
steel tanks, and, after a first racking, the wine rests in tanks to develop on
its lees. Grossot aims to balance the natural power and density of the
Vaucoupin vineyard with finesse and soft acidity to produce a superb Chablis
1er Cru. It needs at least three to five years in bottle to be fully enjoyed,
and can be cellared for over 10 years.
Grossot owns two-thirds of a hectare in the great,
south-facing and steeply sloping Chablis 1er Cru Mont de
Milieu vineyard, which borders the Grands Crus, near Fleys. The vines
average 26 years of age and the soil is all Kimmeridgian limestone-clay with
stones and sea-shell fossils. Two-thirds of the volume completes its
fermentation and maturation on fine lees in tanks. For the other third, Grossot
begins the fermentation in tank and then transfers the fermenting juice into a
mix of 228 and 600 litre oak casks, which are between 1 and 5 years of age.
This part of the cuvée completes its
fermentation in barrels and is then aged in these casks, with occasional battonage,
until March. Each part completes its malolactic fermentation separately.
Grossot assembles the parts in June and bottles the Mont de Mileu in the second January after harvest. This
is the Grossots’ most intense cru, combining remarkable structure, power and
purity. The Mont de Milieu tastes of lemon cream, citrus and minerals, with
stunning focus and persistence. It needs three to five years of bottle age to
show all of its complexity and nuance and will benefit from extended
cellar-time.
