Michel Gros Hautes-Côtes de Nuits “Fontaine-St-Martin” 2018

The Fontaine-Saint-Martin vineyard is named for a nearby Cistercian abbey that dates to 1127. The hillside of vines was in production for centuries, and Michel has made wine there for over 40 years. The Fontaine St-Martin plot is indeed special — soil samples revealed the parcel contains the same mix of marl, clay, and limestone found on the Hill of Corton

We love this wine every year, but the 2018 is the best it’s been. The tannins are dense and sophisticated, with dark blue fruit, and floral notes of violets and roses. Neal Martin of Vinous found “an attractive, quite opulent bouquet” and called it “balanced and precise.”