DOMAINE		Domaine A.F. GROS

APPELLATION         BOURGOGNE HAUTES COTES DE NUITS
COLOR                      RED

PARTICULARITIES  :  	
		 
	SITUATION : Located around the village of Arcenant, exactly on the locality ‘Derrière le Bois de Chevrey’- [Behind the wood of Chevrey], this is an extremely privileged place because of a hillside with a good exposure and leaned to the forest.
Vineyard planted in 1973.

Halfway up and semi-large plantations hence giving very below than normal yields. 
The vines have 4,000 feet per hectare ( compared to 10,000 feet per hectare in low vines).
Some useful figures : 2.50 meters between rows ; 0.80 m between vine-plants ; 
1.80 meter hign for a row.
The vine follows the hillside contours and lawn is planted between rows ;  
This technique allows the plantation of vines in slopes without erosion risk.

Bilateral cordon pruning  with consequently very low yields.
Rarely used for the Pinot Noir , (because said to be too harsh ) this kind of pruning allows to get riper and sounder grapes, more concentrated because of lower yields and better aired bunches.

									

VINIFICATION : Traditional process of vinification with cold maceration to extract color and flavors followed by a pumping-over. Then fermentation with  temperature control limited to 34 ° C if necessary. Peak of temperature to be obtained on purpose : Devatting process occurs  4 or 5 days after the end of alcoholic fermentation. 
Pumping-over process twice a day until half of sugars being fermented. Then the tanks are sheeted and the traditional process of punching the cap may occur.
Pressing by pneumatic press.

	WINE APPROVALS : this wine is subject to a double approval. It must be first analysed and acknowledged as a ‘Bourgogne générique’. Then it is put through a second committee which gives it its typicity of Hautes Côtes.

Always harvested 2 weeks after the wines on the Côte, the  Hautes Côtes ripe under a paler sun in a wilder environment. The wine shows this special expression of Nature. More closed, slightly secret and wild as young, it needs several years to reach its fullness.

	COMMENTARIES : this wine has been regularly described by Mr Clive Coates, journalist  for the Vine – “ Ripe, a little vegetal. But stylish enough. And with reasonable substance. Will mellow in bottle. From 2000 ” - THE VINE N° 158/March 98.

MATURING  : the 96 vintage has been kept around 10 months in large barrels in order to preserve the fruit of the wine. Then it remained 3 months in barrels (one-year aged and new) to extract some vanilla aromas altogether with a hint of oak smell to accompany the wine by emphasizing the fruit but without being forward.

The complete “ cuvée ” has been blended and then bottled.