Domaine Anne Gros et Jean-Paul Tollot is the Languedoc project of two Burgundy luminaries: Anne Gros, one of Vosne-Romanee's most respected winemakers, and Jean-Paul Tollot of the Tollot-Beaut family of Chorey-les-Beaune. Established in 2006 after the pair discovered limestone-rich terroir in the Minervois appellation, the estate farms 21 hectares across IGP Cotes du Brian and AOC Minervois, applying the same Burgundian precision and low-intervention philosophy that defines their respective northern Rhone careers.

Les Fontanilles is produced from a north-facing three-hectare plot on marl, sandstone and limestone soils, planted to Syrah, Grenache, Carignan and Cinsault in equal proportions. The 2023 blend reflects the Estate's commitment to freshness and mineral tension in these cooler-oriented sites. The Wine Advocate awarded 92 points, describing 'notes of Mediterranean herbs, spices, dark berries, mulberries and flowers' with a 'medium to full-bodied, dense and layered wine framed by elegant, sweet tannins, culminating in a long, spicy and mineral finish. This is a classic in the making.'

The Fontanilles project demonstrates Anne Gros's conviction that genuinely expressive, age-worthy red wine can be produced in the Languedoc from indigenous varieties and limestone-influenced terroir, provided the winemaking philosophy matches the ambition of the vineyard. The north-facing orientation of this site provides natural freshness that counterbalances the appellation's heat, producing wines with notable acidity and a mineral backbone atypical of many southern French reds at this price level.

Drink from 2025 to 2032. Pair with grilled lamb chops, roast duck, wild boar or mature sheep's milk cheese. Decant for forty-five minutes before service.