The 2022 Les Fontanilles from Domaine Anne Gros et Jean-Paul Tollot expresses the same Burgundian philosophy applied to Languedoc's indigenous varieties as the 2023, from the same north-facing three-hectare plot of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault on marl, sandstone and limestone soils. The 2022 growing season across the Minervois was warm, offering richer concentration than the cooler 2023 while the site's natural freshness and the team's careful viticulture preserved acidity and structure.

The Wine Advocate awarded 92+ points to the 2022 vintage, signalling a wine of slightly higher development potential than the current 92-point release. The estate's approach of fermenting half the wine in oak barrels and half in stainless steel provides both textural richness and aromatic freshness, hallmarks of a winemaking team whose instincts were formed in Burgundy's Cote de Nuits. The estate has been farming these Minervois parcels since 2006 and the increasing vine age contributes growing concentration and site character with each successive vintage.

The critical consistency between the 2022 and 2023 Les Fontanilles from this estate reflects the reliability of the north-facing site and the experience the team has built over seventeen vintages in the Minervois. For buyers seeking to acquire a small vertical of this wine, the two vintages represent a useful comparative pair: the richer, denser 2022 alongside the more precise and mineral 2023. Both will develop comfortably for a further five to seven years.

Drink from 2025 to 2033. Pair with grilled lamb, beef ribs, cassoulet or aged hard cheese. Decant forty-five minutes before service.